10-K/A 1 form10ka.htm ITEM 8

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549


FORM 10-K/A

 

x ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2006

 

o TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from __________ to ___________

 

Commission File Number: 0-10956

 

EMC INSURANCE GROUP INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Iowa

 

42-6234555

(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)

 

(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

 

717 Mulberry Street, Des Moines, Iowa

 

50309

(Address of principal executive office)

 

(Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:

(515) - 345 - 2902

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Common Stock, Par Value $1.00

 

The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC

(Title of Class)

 

(Name of each exchange on which registered)

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act

o

Yes

 

x

No

 

 

 

 

 

 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act

o

Yes

 

x

No

 

 

 

 

 

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such

 

 

 

 

 

reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.

x

Yes

 

o

No

 

 

 

 

 

 

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will
not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in

 

 

 

 

 

Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.

x

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer (as defined
in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).

 

 

 

 

 

Large accelerated filer   o

Accelerated filer   x

Non-accelerated filer   o

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act).

o

Yes

 

x

No

 

 

The aggregate market value of the voting stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of June 30, 2006 was $170,983,693.

 

 

The number of shares outstanding of the registrant’s common stock, $1.00 par value, on February 28, 2007, was 13,757,341.

 

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of the registrant’s definitive proxy statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on May 24, 2007, and to be filed pursuant to Regulation 14A within 120 days after the registrant’s fiscal year ended December 31, 2006, are incorporated by reference under Part III.

 


EXPLANATORY NOTE

 

EMC Insurance Group Inc. is filing this amendment on Form 10-K/A to correct a document conversion error affecting the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flow included in the original filing’s Part II - Item 8. All information contained in this amendment is as of March 15, 2007, the filing date of the Company’s original Annual Report on Form 10-K.

 

 


 

ITEM 8.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA.

 

Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

 

The management of EMC Insurance Group Inc. and Subsidiaries is responsible for the preparation, integrity and objectivity of the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements, as well as all other financial information in this report. The Consolidated Financial Statements and the accompanying notes have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and include amounts that are based on management’s estimates and judgments where necessary.

 

Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, including safeguarding of assets and reliability of financial records. The Company’s internal control structure, designed by or under the supervision of management, includes policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect transactions and dispositions of assets; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of the Consolidated Financial Statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that transactions are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the Company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the Company’s assets that could have a material effect on the Consolidated Financial Statements. This control structure is further reinforced by a program of internal audits, including audits of the Company’s decentralized branch locations, which requires responsive management action.

 

There are inherent limitations in the effectiveness of any internal control, including the possibility of human error and the circumvention or overriding of controls. Accordingly, adequate internal controls can provide only reasonable assurance with respect to financial statement preparation. Further, because of changes in conditions, the effectiveness of internal control may vary over time.

 

Management assessed the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on criteria established in “Internal Control – Integrated Framework,” issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). Based on this assessment, management believes that, as of December 31, 2006, the Company maintained effective internal control over financial reporting.

 

The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors is comprised of three outside directors who are independent of the Company’s management. The Audit Committee is responsible for the selection of the independent registered public accounting firm. It meets periodically with management, the independent registered public accounting firm, and the internal auditors to ensure that they are carrying out their responsibilities. In addition to reviewing the Company’s financial reports, the Audit Committee is also responsible for performing an oversight role by reviewing and monitoring the financial, accounting and auditing procedures of the Company. The independent registered public accounting firm and the internal auditors have full and free access to the Audit Committee, with or without the presence of management, to discuss the adequacy of internal control over financial reporting and any other matters which they believe should be brought to the attention of the Audit Committee.

 

The Company’s financial statements and internal control over financial reporting have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm. Management has made available to Ernst & Young LLP all of the Company’s financial records and related data, as well as the minutes of the stockholders’ and directors’ meetings. Furthermore, management believes that all representations made to Ernst & Young LLP during its audit were valid and appropriate. Their reports with respect to the fairness of presentation of the Company’s financial statements and management’s assessment and the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting appear elsewhere in this annual report.

 

/s/ Bruce G. Kelley

 

/s/ Mark E. Reese

Bruce G. Kelley

 

Mark E. Reese

President and Chief Executive Officer

 

Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

 

 

1

 


Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

 

The Board of Directors and Stockholders

EMC Insurance Group Inc.

 

We have audited management’s assessment, included in the accompanying Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting, that EMC Insurance Group Inc. and Subsidiaries maintained effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2006, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (the COSO criteria). The management of EMC Insurance Group Inc. and Subsidiaries is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on management’s assessment and an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit.

 

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, evaluating management’s assessment, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

 

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

 

In our opinion, management’s assessment that EMC Insurance Group Inc. and Subsidiaries maintained effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2006, is fairly stated, in all material respects, based on the COSO criteria. Also, in our opinion, EMC Insurance Group Inc. and Subsidiaries maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2006, based on the COSO criteria.

 

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the consolidated balance sheets of EMC Insurance Group Inc. and Subsidiaries as of December 31, 2006 and 2005, and the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2006 of EMC Insurance Group Inc. and Subsidiaries and our report dated March 13, 2007, expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.

 

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

Des Moines, Iowa

March 13, 2007

 

2

 


Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

The Board of Directors and Stockholders

EMC Insurance Group Inc.

 

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of EMC Insurance Group Inc. and Subsidiaries as of December 31, 2006 and 2005, and the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2006. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.

 

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of EMC Insurance Group Inc. and Subsidiaries at December 31, 2006 and 2005 and the consolidated results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2006, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

 

As discussed in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements, during 2006 the Company changed its method of accounting for the recognition of share-based compensation expense and the recognition of the funded status of its defined benefit pension and postretirement plans.

 

We also have audited, in accordance with standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the effectiveness of EMC Insurance Group Inc. and Subsidiaries’ internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2006, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission and our report dated March 13, 2007 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.

 

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

Des Moines, Iowa

March 13, 2007

 

 

3

 


EMC INSURANCE GROUP INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

 

 

 

December 31,

 

2006

 

2005

ASSETS

 

 

 

Investments:

 

 

 

Fixed maturities:

 

 

 

Securities held-to-maturity, at amortized cost

 

 

 

(fair value $5,768,918 and $18,287,704) 

$         5,679,960 

 

$         17,927,478 

Securities available-for-sale, at fair value

 

 

 

(amortized cost $724,943,182 and $740,845,145) 

735,596,894 

 

753,399,943 

Fixed maturity securities on loan:

 

 

 

Securities held-to-maturity, at amortized cost

 

 

 

(fair value $0 and $1,891,504) 

- 

 

1,866,928 

Securities available-for-sale, at fair value

 

 

 

(amortized cost $89,841,454 and $41,922,225) 

88,909,477 

 

41,656,150 

Equity securities available-for-sale, at fair value

 

 

 

(cost $77,089,044 and $66,115,755) 

112,527,480 

 

93,343,172 

Other long-term investments, at cost 

552,202 

 

4,269,566 

Short-term investments, at cost 

58,053,337 

 

37,345,456 

Total investments 

1,001,319,350 

 

949,808,693 

 

 

 

 

Balances resulting from related party transactions with

 

 

 

Employers Mutual:

 

 

 

Reinsurance receivables 

37,805,569 

 

46,372,087 

Prepaid reinsurance premiums 

4,807,822 

 

4,846,084 

Deferred policy acquisition costs 

33,662,408 

 

34,106,217 

Defined benefit retirement plan, prepaid asset 

7,836,958 

 

5,633,370 

Other assets 

2,410,120 

 

2,281,025 

Cash 

196,274 

 

333,048 

Accrued investment income 

11,363,814 

 

10,933,046 

Accounts receivable (net of allowance for uncollectible

 

 

 

accounts of $0 and $0) 

205,046 

 

211,595 

Income taxes recoverable 

1,888,935 

 

Deferred income taxes 

12,403,141 

 

13,509,369 

Goodwill  

941,586 

 

941,586 

Securities lending collateral 

91,317,719 

 

44,705,501 

Total assets 

$ 1,206,158,742 

 

$    1,113,681,621 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

4

 


EMC INSURANCE GROUP INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

 

 

December 31,

 

2006

 

2005

LIABILITIES

 

 

 

Balances resulting from related party transactions with

 

 

 

Employers Mutual:

 

 

 

Losses and settlement expenses 

$     548,547,982 

 

$       544,051,061 

Unearned premiums 

155,653,799 

 

160,693,288 

Other policyholders' funds 

7,320,536 

 

5,359,116 

Surplus notes payable 

36,000,000 

 

36,000,000 

Indebtedness to related party 

18,621,351 

 

19,899,329 

Employee retirement plans 

17,700,372 

 

13,681,388 

Other liabilities 

22,702,661 

 

21,764,259 

 

 

 

 

Income taxes payable 

- 

 

5,644,516 

Securities lending obligation 

91,317,719 

 

44,705,501 

Total liabilities 

897,864,420 

 

851,798,458 

 

 

 

 

STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY 

 

 

 

Common stock, $1 par value, authorized 20,000,000

 

 

 

shares; issued and outstanding, 13,741,663

 

 

 

shares in 2006 and 13,642,705 shares in 2005 

13,741,663 

 

13,642,705 

Additional paid-in capital 

107,016,563 

 

104,800,407 

Accumulated other comprehensive income 

24,934,903 

 

25,470,039 

Retained earnings 

162,601,193 

 

117,970,012 

Total stockholders' equity 

308,294,322 

 

261,883,163 

Total liabilities and stockholders' equity 

$ 1,206,158,742 

 

$    1,113,681,621 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

5

 


EMC INSURANCE GROUP INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

 

All balances presented below, with the exception of investment income, realized investment gains and income tax expense (benefit), are the result of related party transactions with Employers Mutual.

 

 

Year ended December 31,

 

2006

 

2005

 

2004

REVENUES

 

 

 

 

 

Premiums earned  

$   391,615,441 

 

$    415,624,746 

 

$     345,478,461 

Investment income, net 

46,691,929 

 

40,696,243 

 

29,900,203 

Realized investment gains 

4,252,289 

 

3,834,165 

 

4,379,314 

Other income 

526,617 

 

656,846 

 

600,732 

 

443,086,276 

 

460,812,000 

 

380,358,710 

LOSSES AND EXPENSES

 

 

 

 

 

Losses and settlement expenses 

228,452,492 

 

257,926,493 

 

249,806,210 

Dividends to policyholders 

8,663,715 

 

7,540,547 

 

4,478,169 

Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs 

86,565,031 

 

92,400,893 

 

75,444,837 

Other underwriting expenses 

40,019,494 

 

40,059,414 

 

32,783,686 

Interest expense 

1,112,400 

 

1,112,400 

 

1,112,400 

Other  expenses 

1,907,762 

 

1,662,431 

 

1,162,411 

 

366,720,894 

 

400,702,178 

 

364,787,713 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income before income tax expense (benefit) 

76,365,382 

 

60,109,822 

 

15,570,997 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INCOME TAX EXPENSE (BENEFIT)

 

 

 

 

 

Current 

21,423,901 

 

19,782,182 

 

4,583,505 

Deferred 

1,394,377 

 

(2,681,405)

 

(2,197,191)

 

22,818,278 

 

17,100,777 

 

2,386,314 

Net income 

$     53,547,104 

 

$      43,009,045 

 

$       13,184,683 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income per common share

 

 

 

 

 

-basic and diluted

$                3.91 

 

$                 3.16 

 

$                  1.10 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Average number of common shares outstanding

 

 

 

 

 

-basic and diluted

13,710,953 

 

13,606,203 

 

11,948,710 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

6

 


EMC INSURANCE GROUP INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

 

 

Year ended December 31,

 

2006

 

2005

 

2004

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income 

$  53,547,104 

 

$     43,009,045 

 

$     13,184,683 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)

 

 

 

 

 

Change in unrealized holding gains on investment

 

 

 

 

 

securities, before deferred income tax expense 

9,896,320 

 

383,439 

 

13,051,438 

Deferred income tax expense 

3,463,712 

 

134,203 

 

4,568,003 

 

6,432,608 

 

249,236 

 

8,483,435 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reclassification adjustment for realized investment

 

 

 

 

 

gains included in net income, before

 

 

 

 

 

income tax expense 

(4,252,289)

 

(3,834,165)

 

(4,370,215)

Income tax expense 

(1,488,301)

 

(1,341,958)

 

(1,529,575)

 

(2,763,988)

 

(2,492,207)

 

(2,840,640)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adjustment for minimum liability associated with

 

 

 

 

 

Employers Mutual's supplemental retirement plan,

 

 

 

 

 

before deferred income tax expense (benefit) 

264,823 

 

(331,468)

 

Deferred income tax expense (benefit) 

92,688 

 

(116,015)

 

 

172,135 

 

(215,453)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other comprehensive income (loss) 

3,840,755 

 

(2,458,424)

 

5,642,795 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total comprehensive income 

$  57,387,859 

 

$     40,550,621 

 

$     18,827,478 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

7

 


EMC INSURANCE GROUP INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

 

 

Year ended December 31,

 

2006

 

2005

 

2004

COMMON STOCK

 

 

 

 

 

Beginning of year 

$    13,642,705 

 

$     13,568,945 

 

$     11,501,065 

Issuance of common stock through

 

 

 

 

 

Employers Mutual's incentive stock option plans 

109,511 

 

73,760 

 

67,880 

Redemption of common stock that was  

 

 

 

 

 

invalidly issued through Employers Mutual's 

 

 

 

 

 

incentive stock option plans 

(10,553)

 

 

Issuance of common stock through

 

 

 

 

 

follow-on stock offering 

- 

 

 

2,000,000 

End of year 

13,741,663 

 

13,642,705 

 

13,568,945 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ADDITIONAL PAID-IN CAPITAL

 

 

 

 

 

Beginning of year 

104,800,407 

 

103,467,293 

 

69,113,228 

Issuance of common stock through

 

 

 

 

 

Employers Mutual's incentive stock option plans 

2,243,776 

 

1,333,114 

 

1,463,980 

Stock-based compensation expense associated with

 

 

 

 

 

Employers Mutual's incentive stock option plans 

178,439 

 

 

Redemption of common stock that was  

 

 

 

 

 

invalidly issued through Employers Mutual's 

 

 

 

 

 

incentive stock option plans 

(206,059)

 

 

Issuance of common stock through

 

 

 

 

 

follow-on stock offering 

- 

 

 

32,890,085 

End of year 

107,016,563 

 

104,800,407 

 

103,467,293 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ACCUMULATED OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

 

 

 

 

 

Beginning of year 

25,470,039 

 

27,928,463 

 

22,285,668 

Change in unrealized gains (losses) on investment 

 

 

 

 

 

securities, net of deferred income tax expense 

3,668,620 

 

(2,242,971)

 

5,642,795 

Minimum liability associated with Employers Mutual’s

 

 

 

 

 

supplemental retirement plan, net of deferred

 

 

 

 

 

income tax expense 

172,135 

 

(215,453)

 

Adjustment for adoption of SFAS No. 158,

 

 

 

 

 

net of deferred income tax expense 

(4,375,891)

 

 

End of year 

24,934,903 

 

25,470,039 

 

27,928,463 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RETAINED EARNINGS

 

 

 

 

 

Beginning of year 

117,970,012 

 

83,508,331 

 

77,850,590 

Net income 

53,547,104 

 

43,009,045 

 

13,184,683 

Dividends paid to public stockholders ($.65, $.61, $.60

 

 

 

 

 

per share in 2006, 2005 and 2004) 

(3,857,395)

 

(3,705,796)

 

(1,941,181)

Dividends paid to Employers Mutual ($.65, $.61, $.60

 

 

 

 

 

per share in 2006, 2005 and 2004) 

(5,058,528)

 

(4,596,127)

 

(5,292,178)

Dividends paid to Employers Mutual (reimbursement

 

 

 

 

 

for non-GAAP expenses) 

- 

 

(245,441)

 

(293,583)

End of year 

162,601,193 

 

117,970,012 

 

83,508,331 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total stockholders' equity 

$  308,294,322 

 

$   261,883,163 

 

$   228,473,032 

 

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

8

 


EMC INSURANCE GROUP INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

 

 

Year ended December 31,

 

2006

 

2005

 

2004

CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES

 

 

 

 

 

Net  income 

$     53,547,104 

 

$        43,009,045 

 

$        13,184,683 

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash

 

 

 

 

 

provided by operating activities:

 

 

 

 

 

Balances resulting from related party transactions

 

 

 

 

 

with Employers Mutual:

 

 

 

 

 

Losses and settlement expenses 

4,496,921 

 

28,615,240 

 

55,894,386 

Unearned premiums 

(5,039,489)

 

(1,545,302)

 

6,756,758 

Other policyholders' funds 

1,961,420 

 

1,751,700 

 

1,435,215 

Indebtedness to related party  

(1,277,978)

 

13,840,481 

 

3,883,730 

Employee retirement plans 

(4,651,920)

 

(827,923)

 

(2,885,657)

Reinsurance receivables 

8,566,518 

 

(13,115,515)

 

(4,595,569)

Prepaid reinsurance premiums 

38,262 

 

(144,795)

 

(385,448)

Commission payable 

357,467 

 

(4,136,359)

 

2,594,243 

Deferred policy acquisition costs 

443,809 

 

353,101 

 

(1,202,799)

Stock-based compensation plans 

377,294 

 

 

Other, net 

252,985 

 

1,567,742 

 

(629,924)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accrued investment income 

(430,768)

 

(2,206,754)

 

(904,640)

Accrued income tax:

 

 

 

 

 

Current 

(7,533,451)

 

9,044,001 

 

(6,179,985)

Deferred 

1,394,377 

 

(2,681,405)

 

(2,197,191)

Realized investments gains 

(4,252,289)

 

(3,834,165)

 

(4,379,314)

Accounts receivable 

6,549 

 

5,241 

 

162,587 

Amortization of premium/discount on

 

 

 

 

 

fixed maturity securities 

757,287 

 

928,373 

 

243,378 

 

(4,533,006)

 

27,613,661 

 

47,609,770 

Cash provided by the change in the property

 

 

 

 

 

and casualty insurance subsidiaries' aggregate

 

 

 

 

 

pool participation percentage 

- 

 

107,801,259 

 

Net cash provided by operating activities 

$     49,014,098 

 

$      178,423,965 

 

$        60,794,453 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9

 


EMC INSURANCE GROUP INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS, CONTINUED

 

 

Year ended December 31,

 

2006

 

2005

 

2004

CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES

 

 

 

 

 

Maturities of fixed maturity securities

 

 

 

 

 

held-to-maturity 

$     14,100,900 

 

$          9,388,335 

 

$        20,635,775 

Purchases of fixed maturity securities

 

 

 

 

 

available-for-sale 

(122,681,124)

 

(581,405,192)

 

(830,263,629)

Disposals of fixed maturity securities

 

 

 

 

 

available-for-sale 

90,409,930 

 

394,555,437 

 

737,364,629 

Purchases of equity securities

 

 

 

 

 

available-for-sale 

(58,996,632)

 

(49,154,777)

 

(52,518,206)

Disposals of equity securities

 

 

 

 

 

available-for-sale 

51,785,819 

 

45,430,758 

 

32,685,028 

Purchases of other long-term investments 

(300,000)

 

(1,049,129)

 

(3,078,000)

Disposals of other long-term investments 

4,017,364 

 

2,329,656 

 

2,285,926 

Net (purchases) sales of short-term investments 

(20,707,881)

 

8,893,397 

 

17,329,211 

Net cash used in investing activities 

(42,371,624)

 

(171,011,515)

 

(75,559,266)

 

 

 

 

 

 

CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES

 

 

 

 

 

Balances resulting from related party transactions

 

 

 

 

 

with Employers Mutual:

 

 

 

 

 

Issuance of common stock through Employers

 

 

 

 

 

Mutual's incentive stock option plans 

2,353,287 

 

1,406,874 

 

1,531,860 

Redemption of common stock that was 

 

 

 

 

 

invalidly issued through Employers Mutual's

 

 

 

 

 

incentive stock option plans 

(216,612)

 

 

Dividends paid to Employers Mutual 

(5,058,528)

 

(4,596,127)

 

(5,292,178)

Dividends paid to Employers Mutual

 

 

 

 

 

(reimbursement for non-GAAP expense) 

- 

 

(245,441)

 

(293,583)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dividends paid to public stockholders 

(3,857,395)

 

(3,705,796)

 

(1,941,181)

Issuance of common stock through follow-on

 

 

 

 

 

stock offering 

- 

 

 

34,890,085 

Net cash (used in) provided by

 

 

 

 

 

financing activities 

(6,779,248)

 

(7,140,490)

 

28,895,003 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NET (DECREASE) INCREASE IN CASH 

(136,774)

 

271,960 

 

14,130,190 

Cash at the beginning of the year 

333,048 

 

61,088 

 

(14,069,102)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash at the end of the year 

$           196,274 

 

$             333,048 

 

$               61,088 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income taxes paid 

$     28,957,352 

 

$        10,738,181 

 

$        10,957,163 

Interest paid 

$        1,119,663 

 

$          1,118,413 

 

$             884,310 

 

 

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

 

10

 


EMC INSURANCE GROUP INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

1.

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

 

Principles of Consolidation and Basis of Presentation

 

EMC Insurance Group Inc., a 56.6 percent owned subsidiary of Employers Mutual Casualty Company (Employers Mutual), is an insurance holding company with operations in property and casualty insurance and reinsurance. Both commercial and personal lines of insurance are written, with a focus on medium-sized commercial accounts. Approximately 36 percent of the premiums written are in Iowa and contiguous states. The term “Company” is used interchangeably to describe EMC Insurance Group Inc. (Parent Company only) and EMC Insurance Group Inc. and its subsidiaries.

 

The Company’s subsidiaries include EMCASCO Insurance Company, Illinois EMCASCO Insurance Company, Dakota Fire Insurance Company, Farm and City Insurance Company, EMC Reinsurance Company and EMC Underwriters, LLC.

 

The consolidated financial statements have been prepared on the basis of U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), which differ in some respects from those followed in reports to insurance regulatory authorities. All significant inter-company balances and transactions have been eliminated.

 

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

 

Property and Casualty Insurance and Reinsurance Operations

 

Property and casualty insurance premiums are recognized as revenue ratably over the terms of the respective policies. Unearned premiums are calculated on the daily pro rata method. Both domestic and foreign assumed reinsurance premiums are recognized as revenues ratably over the terms of the contract period. Amounts paid as ceded reinsurance premiums are reported as prepaid reinsurance premiums and are amortized over the remaining contract period in proportion to the amount of reinsurance protection provided. Reinsurance reinstatement premiums are recognized in the same period as the loss event that gave rise to the reinstatement premiums.

 

Acquisition costs consisting of commissions, premium taxes and other underwriting expenses that vary with and are directly related to the production of business have been deferred and are being amortized as premium revenue is recognized. The method followed in computing deferred policy acquisition costs limits the amount of such deferred costs to their estimated realizable value, which gives effect to the premium to be earned, related investment income, losses and settlement expenses and certain other costs expected to be incurred as the premium is earned.

 

Certain commercial lines of business, primarily workers’ compensation, are eligible for policyholder dividends in accordance with provisions of the underlying insurance policies. Net premiums written subject to policyholder dividends represented approximately 60 percent of the Company’s total net premiums written in 2006. Policyholder dividends are accrued over the terms of the underlying policies.

 

Liabilities for losses are based upon case-basis estimates of reported losses, estimates of unreported losses based upon prior experience adjusted for current trends, and estimates of losses expected to be paid under assumed reinsurance contracts. Liabilities for settlement expenses are provided by estimating expenses expected to be incurred in settling the claims provided for in the loss reserves. Changes in estimates are reflected in current operating results (see note 4).

 

Ceded reinsurance amounts with nonaffiliated reinsurers relating to reinsurance receivables for paid and unpaid losses and settlement expenses and prepaid reinsurance are reported on the balance sheet on a gross basis. Amounts ceded to Employers Mutual relating to the affiliated reinsurance pooling agreement (see note 2) have not been grossed up because the contracts provide that receivables and payables may be offset upon settlement.

 

11

 


Based on current information, the liabilities for losses and settlement expenses are considered to be adequate. Since the provisions are necessarily based on estimates, the ultimate liability may be more or less than such provisions.

 

Investments

 

Securities classified as held-to-maturity are purchased with the intent and ability to be held to maturity and are carried at amortized cost. Unrealized holding gains and losses on securities held-to-maturity are not reflected in the financial statements. All other securities have been classified as securities available-for-sale and are carried at fair value, with unrealized holding gains and losses reported as accumulated other comprehensive income in stockholders’ equity, net of deferred income taxes. Other long-term investments represent minor ownership interests in limited partnerships and limited liability companies and are carried at cost. Short-term investments represent money market funds and are carried at cost, which approximates fair value.

 

Premiums and discounts on fixed maturity securities are amortized over the life of the security as an adjustment to yield using the effective interest method. Gains and losses realized on the disposition of investments are included in net income. The cost of investments sold is determined on the specific identification method using the highest cost basis first. Included in investments at December 31, 2006 and 2005 are securities on deposit with various regulatory authorities as required by law amounting to $13,093,900 and $12,929,527, respectively.

 

The Company regularly monitors its investments that have a fair value that is less than the carrying value for indications of “other-than-temporary” impairment. Several factors are used to determine whether the carrying value of an individual security has been “other-than-temporarily” impaired. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the security’s value and performance in the context of the overall markets, length of time and extent the security’s fair value has been below carrying value, key corporate events and collateralization of fixed maturity securities. When a security is deemed “other-than-temporarily” impaired, the carrying value is reduced to fair value and a realized loss is recognized and charged to income.

 

On November 3, 2005 the FASB issued Staff Position No. FAS 115-1, “The Meaning of Other-Than-Temporary Impairment and Its Application to Certain Investments”, which amended SFAS 115, “Accounting for Certain Investments in Debt and Equity Securities” and nullified certain requirements of EITF Issue 03-1. FAS 115-1 addresses the determination of when an investment is considered impaired, whether that impairment is “other-than-temporary”, and the measurement of an impairment loss. FAS 115-1 also includes accounting considerations subsequent to the recognition of an “other-than-temporary” impairment, and requires certain disclosures about unrealized losses that have not been recognized as “other-than-temporary” impairments. FAS 115-1 was effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2005, with earlier application permitted. The Company adopted FAS 115-1 in the first quarter of 2006 through the addition of various impairment analysis procedures, including inquiry of the Company’s outside equity manager on their intentions regarding securities that are in an unrealized loss position.

 

The Company participates in a securities lending program whereby certain fixed maturity securities from the investment portfolio are loaned to other institutions for a short period of time. The Company requires initial collateral equal to 102 percent of the market value of the loaned securities. The collateral is invested by the lending agent, in accordance with the Company’s guidelines, and generates fee income for the Company that is recognized ratably over the time period the security is on loan. The securities on loan to others are segregated from the other invested assets on the Company’s balance sheet. In accordance with relevant accounting literature, the collateral held by the Company is accounted for as a secured borrowing and is recorded as an asset on the Company’s balance sheet, with a corresponding liability reflecting the Company’s obligation to return this collateral upon the return of the loaned securities.

 

Income Taxes

 

During October 2004, Employers Mutual’s ownership of the Company fell below 80 percent upon successful completion of the follow-on stock offering. Accordingly, the Company was no longer included in Employers Mutual’s consolidated tax return effective October 1, 2004, and the Company filed a short-period tax return for the period October 1, 2004 through December 31, 2004. Consolidated income taxes/benefits are allocated among the entities based upon separate tax liabilities.

 

12

 


Deferred income taxes are provided for temporary differences between the tax basis of assets and liabilities and the reported amounts of those assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. Income tax expense provisions increase or decrease in the same period in which a change in tax rates is enacted. A valuation allowance is established to reduce deferred tax assets to their net realizable value if it is “more likely than not” that a tax benefit will not be realized.

 

Stock-Based Compensation

 

The Company has no stock-based compensation plans of its own; however, Employers Mutual has several stock plans that utilize the common stock of the Company. The Company receives the current fair value for all shares issued under these plans. Under the terms of the pooling agreement (see note 2), stock option expense is allocated to the Company’s insurance subsidiaries as determined on a statutory basis of accounting. The Company’s insurance subsidiaries reimburse Employers Mutual for their share of the statutory-basis compensation expense (equal to the excess of the fair value of the stock on the option exercise date over the option’s exercise price) associated with stock option exercises.

 

In December 2004, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 123 (revised 2004) “Share-Based Payment,” which is a revision of SFAS No. 123 (as amended by SFAS 148) “Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation” and supersedes Accounting Principles Board (APB) Opinion No. 25, “Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees.” SFAS 123(R) requires all share-based payments to employees, including grants of employee stock options, to be recognized in the financial statements based on their fair values. Effective January 1, 2006, the Company adopted SFAS 123(R) using the modified prospective method, which requires compensation expense to be recorded for all options granted after the date of adoption as well as for existing options for which the requisite service has not been rendered as of the date of adoption. The modified-prospective method does not require restatement of prior periods to reflect the impact of SFAS 123(R). There was no initial change to net income or stockholders’ equity upon the adoption of SFAS 123(R). Under the provisions of SFAS 123(R), the Company recognized compensation expense of $377,294 (gross and net of tax) during 2006 related to incentive stock options and a stock appreciation rights agreement.

 

Prior to January 1, 2006, under the provisions of APB 25, the Company did not recognize any compensation expense from the operation of Employers Mutual’s incentive stock option plans since the exercise price of the options was equal to the fair value of the stock on the date of grant. The statutory-basis compensation expense that was paid by the Company’s subsidiaries to Employers Mutual ($245,441 in 2005 and $293,583 in 2004) was reclassified as a dividend payment to Employers Mutual in these GAAP-basis financial statements.

 

The following table illustrates the effect on net income and net income per share if the Company had applied the fair value recognition provisions of SFAS No. 123 (as amended by SFAS No. 148) “Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation” to Employers Mutual’s incentive stock option plans:

 

 

Year ended December 31,

 

2005

 

2004

Net income, as reported 

$   43,009,045 

 

$   13,184,683 

Deduct:  Total stock-based employee compensation expense

 

 

 

determined under the fair value method for all awards

 

 

 

vesting in the current calendar year 

117,710 

 

32,373 

Pro forma net income 

$   42,891,335 

 

$   13,152,310 

 

 

 

 

Net income per share:

 

 

 

Basic and diluted -

 

 

 

As reported 

$              3.16 

 

$              1.10 

Pro forma 

$              3.15 

 

$              1.10 

 

 

13

 


Employee Retirement Plans

 

In September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS No. 158, “Employers’ Accounting for Defined Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Plans.” SFAS 158 requires recognition of the funded status of defined benefit retirement or other postretirement plans as a net asset or liability on the balance sheet, the recognition of future changes in the funded status through other comprehensive income, the measurement of the defined benefit plan assets and obligations as of the end of the employer’s fiscal year and enhanced disclosure. The initial recognition of the funded status is reflected as an adjustment to the ending balance of accumulated other comprehensive income. SFAS 158 does not change the method of calculating the net periodic cost that existed under previous guidance. SFAS 158 became effective for the Company on December 31, 2006, except for the requirement to measure assets and obligations as of the end of the Company’s fiscal year, which will be effective at December 31, 2008.

 

The following table provides a detailed breakdown of the initial adjustment to the Company’s consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2006, as a result of adopting SFAS 158:

 

 

Before 

 

 

 

After 

 

Application of 

 

 

 

Application of 

 

Statement 158 

 

Adjustments 

 

Statement 158 

Defined benefit retirement plan, prepaid asset  

$       11,665,609 

 

$    (3,828,651)

 

$         7,836,958 

Deferred income taxes  

10,046,893 

 

2,356,248 

 

12,403,141 

Total assets  

1,207,631,145 

 

(1,472,403)

 

1,206,158,742 

Liability for employee retirement plans  

14,796,844 

 

2,903,488 

 

17,700,332 

Total liabilities  

894,960,932 

 

2,903,488 

 

897,864,420 

Accumulated other comprehensive income 

29,310,794 

 

(4,375,891)

 

24,934,903 

Total stockholders' equity  

312,670,213 

 

(4,375,891)

 

308,294,322 

 

 

Foreign Currency Transactions

 

Included in the underlying reinsurance business assumed by Employers Mutual are reinsurance transactions conducted with foreign cedants denominated in their local functional currencies. In accordance with the revised terms of the quota share agreement (see note 2), the reinsurance subsidiary is assuming all foreign currency exchange gains/losses associated with contracts incepting on January 1, 2006 and thereafter that are subject to the quota share agreement. Previously, the foreign currency exchange gains/losses were retained by Employers Mutual. The balances resulting from these foreign reinsurance transactions are reported in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet in U.S. dollars based on the foreign currency exchange rates that existed on December 31, 2006. The balances reported in the Company’s 2006 consolidated statement of income that resulted from these foreign reinsurance transactions are reported in U.S. dollars measured at the foreign currency exchange rates that existed at the inception of each reinsurance contract. The foreign currency exchange rate gains/losses resulting from these re-measurements to U.S. dollars are reported as other income/expense in the consolidated statement of income.

 

Net Income Per Share - Basic and Diluted

 

The Company’s basic and diluted net income per share is computed by dividing net income by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during each period. As previously noted, the Company receives the current fair value for all shares issued under Employers Mutual’s stock plans. As a result, the Company had no potential common shares outstanding during 2006, 2005 and 2004 that would have been dilutive to net income per share.

 

14

 


Goodwill

 

Goodwill represents the excess of cost over the fair value of net assets of acquired subsidiaries. Goodwill is not amortized, but is subject to annual impairment testing to determine if the carrying value of the goodwill exceeds the estimated fair value of net assets. If the carrying amount of the subsidiary (including goodwill) exceeds the computed fair value, an impairment loss is recognized through earnings equal to the excess amount, but not greater than the balance of the goodwill. An annual impairment test is completed in the fourth quarter of each year and goodwill was not deemed to be impaired in 2006, 2005 or 2004.

 

New Accounting Pronouncements

 

In February 2006, the FASB issued SFAS No. 155, “Accounting for Certain Hybrid Financial Instruments” – an Amendment of FASB Statement Nos. 133 and 140. SFAS 155 simplifies the accounting for certain hybrid financial instruments by permitting fair value re-measurement for any hybrid financial instrument that contains an embedded derivative that otherwise would require bifurcation, and eliminates a restriction on passive derivative instruments that a qualifying special-purpose entity may hold. SFAS 155 is effective for all financial instruments acquired, issued, or subject to a re-measurement (new basis) event occurring in fiscal years that begin after September 15, 2006. Adoption of this statement is not expected to have a material effect on the operating results of the Company.

 

In June 2006, the FASB issued Interpretation No. 48 “Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes.” This interpretation clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in an enterprise's financial statements in accordance with SFAS 109 “Accounting for Income Taxes.” This interpretation prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. The interpretation also provides guidance for de-recognition of tax positions, financial statement classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosure, and transition. This interpretation is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2006. Adoption of this statement is not expected to have a material effect on the operating results of the Company, as a recently completed assessment of the Company’s current tax positions indicated no uncertainties that would warrant different recognition and valuation from that applied in the Company’s tax returns.

 

In September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS No. 157, “Fair Value Measurements,” which defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value, and expands disclosures about fair value measurements. The provisions of SFAS 157 are effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2007, and interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company is currently evaluating the impact this statement will have on its financial statements.

 

In February 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 159, “The Fair Value Option for Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities.” SFAS 159 permits reporting entities to choose, at specified election dates, to measure eligible items at fair value (the “fair value option”). The unrealized gains and losses on items for which the fair value option has been elected will be reported in earnings. As it relates to the Company’s financial reporting, the Company would be permitted to elect fair value recognition of fixed maturity and equity investments currently classified as either available-for-sale or held-to-maturity, and report the unrealized gains and losses from these investments in earnings going forward. Electing the fair value option for an existing held-to-maturity security will not call into question the intent of an entity to hold other fixed maturity securities to maturity in the future. The provisions of this statement are effective beginning with the first fiscal year that begins after November 15, 2007. The Company is currently evaluating the alternatives permitted by this statement and the impact those alternatives would have on its financial statements.

 

15

 


2.

AFFILIATION AND TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES

 

Property and Casualty Insurance Subsidiaries

 

The Company’s four property and casualty insurance subsidiaries and two subsidiaries and an affiliate of Employers Mutual are parties to reinsurance pooling agreements with Employers Mutual (collectively the “pooling agreement”). Under the terms of the pooling agreement, each company cedes to Employers Mutual all of its insurance business, with the exception of any voluntary reinsurance business assumed from nonaffiliated insurance companies, and assumes from Employers Mutual an amount equal to its participation in the pool. All premiums, losses, settlement expenses, and other underwriting and administrative expenses, excluding the voluntary reinsurance business assumed by Employers Mutual from nonaffiliated insurance companies, are prorated among the parties on the basis of participation in the pool. Employers Mutual negotiates reinsurance agreements that provide protection to the pool and each of its participants, including protection against losses arising from catastrophic events.

 

Operations of the pool give rise to inter-company balances with Employers Mutual, which are settled on a quarterly basis. The investment and income tax activities of the pool participants are not subject to the pooling agreement. The pooling agreement provides that Employers Mutual will make up any shortfall or difference resulting from an error in its systems and/or computational processes that would otherwise result in the required restatement of the pool participants’ financial statements.

 

The purpose of the pooling agreement is to spread the risk of an exposure insured by any of the pool participants among all the companies. The pooling agreement produces a more uniform and stable underwriting result from year to year for all companies in the pool than might be experienced individually. In addition, each company benefits from the capacity of the entire pool, rather than being limited to policy exposures of a size commensurate with its own assets, and from the wide range of policy forms, lines of insurance written, rate filings and commission plans offered by each of the companies.

 

On October 20, 2004, the Company successfully completed a follow-on stock offering and sold 2.0 million new shares of its common stock to the public at a price of $18.75 per share. Employers Mutual participated in the stock offering as a selling shareholder and sold 2.1 million shares of the Company’s common stock that it previously owned. As a result of these transactions, Employers Mutual’s ownership of the Company was reduced from approximately 80.9 percent to approximately 53.7 percent.

 

Net proceeds to the Company from the follow-on stock offering totaled $34,890,085. These proceeds were contributed to three of the Company’s property and casualty insurance subsidiaries in December of 2004 to support a 6.5 percentage point increase in the Company’s aggregate participation in the pooling agreement effective January 1, 2005. As a result of this change, the Company’s aggregate participation in the pooling agreement increased from 23.5 percent to 30.0 percent and Employers Mutual’s participation decreased from 65.5 percent to 59.0 percent. In connection with this change in pool participation, the Company’s liabilities increased $115,042,355 and invested assets increased $108,798,583. The Company reimbursed Employers Mutual $6,518,735 for expenses that were incurred to generate the additional business assumed by the Company, but this expense was offset by an increase in deferred policy acquisition costs. The Company also received $274,963 in interest income from Employers Mutual as the actual cash transfer did not occur until February 15, 2005.

 

16

 


In addition to changing the individual pool participation percentages of Employers Mutual and three of the Company’s property and casualty insurance subsidiaries, the pooling agreement was amended effective January 1, 2005 to comply with certain conditions established by the Iowa Insurance Department and A.M. Best Company. These amendments: (1) provide for a fixed term of three years commencing January 1, 2005 and continuing until December 31, 2007, during which period the pooling agreement may not be terminated and the revised participation interests will not be further amended, absent the occurrence of a material event not in the ordinary course of business that could reasonably be expected to impact the appropriateness of the participation interests in the pool; (2) provide that if a pool participant becomes insolvent, or is otherwise subject to liquidation or receivership proceedings, each of the other participants will, on a pro rata basis, adjust their assumed portions of the pool liabilities in order to assume in full the liabilities of the impaired participant, subject to compliance with all regulatory requirements applicable to such adjustment under the laws of all states in which the participants are domiciled; (3) clarify that all development on prior years’ outstanding losses and settlement expenses of the participants will remain in the pool and be pro rated pursuant to the pooling agreement; and (4) clarify that all liabilities incurred prior to a participant withdrawing from the pool, and associated with such withdrawing participant, shall remain a part of the pool and subject to the pooling agreement.

 

During 2004, the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Farm and City Insurance Company, discontinued writing new nonstandard risk automobile insurance business and began instituting non-renewal procedures on all existing business. The effective dates for these actions were determined by the requirements of the six states in which it conducted business and the terms of the individual policies. Farm and City has completed its non-renewal procedures in all states, with the last policy expiring in January 2006. Farm and City will continue to participate in the pooling agreement even though it no longer writes direct insurance business. Discontinuance of the nonstandard risk automobile insurance business did not have a material impact on the Company’s results of operations.

 

Reinsurance Subsidiary

 

The Company’s reinsurance subsidiary assumes a 100 percent quota share portion of Employers Mutual’s assumed reinsurance business, exclusive of certain reinsurance contracts. This includes all premiums and related losses and settlement expenses of this business, subject to a maximum loss of $2,000,000 per event ($1,500,000 in 2005 and 2004). The reinsurance subsidiary does not directly reinsure any of the insurance business written by Employers Mutual; however, the reinsurance subsidiary assumes reinsurance business from the Mutual Reinsurance Bureau (MRB) pool and this pool provides a small amount of reinsurance protection to the EMC Insurance Companies. As a result, the reinsurance subsidiary’s assumed exposures include a small portion of the EMC Insurance Companies’ direct business, after ceded reinsurance protections purchased by the MRB pool are applied. In addition, the reinsurance subsidiary does not reinsure any “involuntary” facility or pool business that Employers Mutual assumes pursuant to state law. Operations of the quota share agreement give rise to inter-company balances with Employers Mutual, which are settled on a quarterly basis. The investment and income tax activities of the reinsurance subsidiary are not subject to the quota share agreement.

 

Premiums assumed by the reinsurance subsidiary from Employers Mutual amounted to $66,268,178, $92,588,093 and $97,637,066 in 2006, 2005 and 2004, respectively. The large decline in 2006 is primarily attributed to Employers Mutual’s reduced participation in the MRB pool (see note 3). It is customary in the reinsurance business for the assuming company to compensate the ceding company for the acquisition expenses incurred in the generation of the business. Commissions paid by the reinsurance subsidiary to Employers Mutual amounted to $15,650,305, $21,508,620 and $20,621,898 in 2006, 2005 and 2004, respectively.

 

17

 


Effective January 1, 2006, the terms of the quota share agreement between Employers Mutual and the reinsurance subsidiary were revised. The majority of the changes were prompted by the significant amount of hurricane losses retained by Employers Mutual during the severe 2005 hurricane season; however, other changes were made to simplify and clarify the terms and conditions of the quota share agreement. The revised terms of the quota share agreement for 2006 are as follows: (1) the reinsurance subsidiary’s retention, or cap, on losses assumed per event increased from $1,500,000 to $2,000,000; (2) the cost of the $2,000,000 cap on losses assumed per event is treated as a reduction to premiums written rather than commission expense; (3) the reinsurance subsidiary no longer directly pays for the outside reinsurance protection that Employers Mutual purchases to protect itself from catastrophic losses on the assumed reinsurance business it retains in excess of the cap, and instead pays a higher premium rate (previously accounted for as commission); and (4) the reinsurance subsidiary assumes all foreign currency exchange gain/loss associated with contracts incepting on January 1, 2006 and thereafter that are subject to the quota share agreement. For 2006, the premium rate paid by the reinsurance subsidiary to Employers Mutual was 10.50 percent of premiums written. The corresponding rate for 2005 was approximately 8.50 percent (4.50 percent override commission rate plus approximately 4.00 percent for the cost of the outside reinsurance protection). The net foreign currency exchange loss assumed by the reinsurance subsidiary in 2006 was $61,055.

 

Under the terms of the quota share agreement, the reinsurance subsidiary receives reinstatement premium income that is collected by Employers Mutual from the ceding companies when reinsurance coverage is reinstated after a loss event; however, the cap on losses assumed per event contained in the quota share agreement is automatically reinstated without cost. This arrangement can produce unusual underwriting results for the reinsurance subsidiary when a large event occurs because the reinstatement premium income received by the reinsurance subsidiary may approximate, or exceed, the amount of losses retained.

 

During 2006, Employers Mutual retained 10.5 percent of the gross assumed premiums written subject to cession to the reinsurance subsidiary ($7,774,480) as compensation for the $2,000,000 cap on losses assumed per event. In 2005 and 2004, the reinsurance subsidiary paid Employers Mutual override commissions of $4,166,464 and $4,393,668 for the $1,500,000 cap per event, and also paid for 100 percent of the outside reinsurance protection Employers Mutual purchased to protect itself from catastrophic losses on the assumed reinsurance business it retained in excess of the cap, excluding reinstatement premiums. This cost was recorded as a reduction to the premiums received by the reinsurance subsidiary and amounted to $3,695,833 and $3,626,833 in 2005 and 2004, respectively. The reinsurance subsidiary’s premiums earned for 2006 reflect a reduction of $508,333 associated with the runoff of the unearned premium from the outside reinsurance protection purchased in 2005, which expired on April 30, 2006. Employers Mutual retained losses and settlement expenses under the quota share agreement totaling $1,029,236 in 2006, $28,682,084 in 2005 and $11,277,246 in 2004.

 

Services Provided by Employers Mutual

 

Employers Mutual provides various services to all of its subsidiaries and affiliates. Such services include data processing, claims, financial, actuarial, auditing, marketing and underwriting. Employers Mutual allocates a portion of the cost of these services to the subsidiaries that do not participate in the pooling agreement based upon a number of criteria, including usage and number of transactions. The remaining costs are charged to the pooling agreement and each pool participant shares in the total cost in accordance with its pool participation percentage. Costs allocated to the Company by Employers Mutual for services provided to the holding company and its subsidiaries that do not participate in the pooling agreement amounted to $2,081,688, $1,829,565 and $2,118,411 in 2006, 2005 and 2004, respectively. Costs allocated to the Company through the operation of the pooling agreement amounted to $89,055,823, $82,782,802 and $73,305,162 in 2006, 2005 and 2004, respectively.

 

Investment expenses are based on actual expenses incurred by the Company plus an allocation of other investment expenses incurred by Employers Mutual, which is based on a weighted average of total invested assets and number of investment transactions. Investment expenses allocated to the Company by Employers Mutual amounted to $1,310,193, $1,011,370 and $699,807 in 2006, 2005 and 2004, respectively.

 

18

 


3.

REINSURANCE

 

The parties to the pooling agreement cede insurance business to other insurers in the ordinary course of business for the purpose of limiting their maximum loss exposure through diversification of their risks. In its consolidated financial statements, the Company treats risks to the extent they are reinsured as though they were risks for which the Company is not liable. Insurance ceded by the pool participants does not relieve their primary liability as the originating insurers. Employers Mutual evaluates the financial condition of the reinsurers of the parties to the pooling agreement and monitors concentrations of credit risk arising from similar geographic regions, activities or economic characteristics of the reinsurers to minimize exposure to significant losses from reinsurer insolvencies.

 

As of December 31, 2006, reinsurance ceded to two nonaffiliated reinsurers aggregated $21,088,937, which represents a significant portion of the total prepaid reinsurance premiums and reinsurance receivables for losses and settlement expenses. These amounts reflect the property and casualty insurance subsidiaries’ aggregate pool participation percentage of amounts ceded by Employers Mutual to these organizations on a mandatory basis. Credit risk associated with these amounts is minimal, as all companies participating in these organizations are responsible for the liabilities of such organizations on a pro rata basis.

 

The effect of reinsurance on premiums written and earned, and losses and settlement expenses incurred, for the three years ended December 31, 2006 is presented below.

 

 

 

Year ended December 31, 

 

 

2006

 

2005

 

2004

Premiums written

 

 

 

 

 

 

Direct  

 

$      191,515,607 

 

$         187,484,611 

 

$         191,823,068 

Assumed from nonaffiliates 

 

3,414,423 

 

4,537,413 

 

4,125,092 

Assumed from affiliates 

 

408,950,067 

 

463,777,028 

 

366,224,505 

Ceded to nonaffiliates 

 

(26,112,282)

 

(25,080,441)

 

(18,445,768)

Ceded to affiliates 

 

(191,515,607)

 

(187,484,611)

 

(191,823,068)

Net premiums written 

 

$      386,252,208 

 

$         443,234,000 

 

$         351,903,829 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Premiums earned

 

 

 

 

 

 

Direct  

 

$      188,426,941 

 

$         186,933,086 

 

$         197,051,604 

Assumed from nonaffiliates 

 

3,697,564 

 

4,455,928 

 

3,933,665 

Assumed from affiliates 

 

414,068,427 

 

435,085,847 

 

359,605,116 

Ceded to nonaffiliates 

 

(26,150,550)

 

(23,917,029)

 

(18,060,320)

Ceded to affiliates 

 

(188,426,941)

 

(186,933,086)

 

(197,051,604)

Net premiums earned 

 

$      391,615,441 

 

$         415,624,746 

 

$         345,478,461 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Losses and settlement expenses incurred

 

 

 

 

 

 

Direct  

 

$        95,639,897 

 

$         137,398,803 

 

$         132,616,303 

Assumed from nonaffiliates 

 

2,545,606 

 

7,082,993 

 

2,897,364 

Assumed from affiliates 

 

233,284,454 

 

280,482,249 

 

258,134,261 

Ceded to nonaffiliates 

 

(7,377,568)

 

(29,638,749)

 

(11,225,415)

Ceded to affiliates 

 

(95,639,897)

 

(137,398,803)

 

(132,616,303)

Net losses and settlement

 

 

 

 

 

 

expenses incurred 

 

$      228,452,492 

 

$         257,926,493 

 

$         249,806,210 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For 2006, premiums written and earned assumed from affiliates, and losses and settlement expenses incurred assumed from affiliates, reflect a reduction in Employers Mutual’s participation in the MRB pool. The board of directors of the MRB pool approved the admission of two new assuming companies to the pool effective January 1, 2006. This reduced Employers Mutual’s participation in the pool from a one-third share to an approximate one-fifth share (one company is only assuming property exposures). The premiums written assumed from affiliates and net premiums written amounts for 2006 also include a negative $3,440,024 portfolio adjustment which serves as an offset to the decrease in unearned premiums recognized in connection with this change in participation.

 

19

 


The large increases in net premiums written and earned, and net losses and settlement expenses incurred, in 2005 reflect the increase in the Company’s aggregate participation interest in the pooling agreement. The premiums written assumed from affiliates and net premiums written amounts for 2005 also include a $29,630,612 portfolio adjustment which serves as an offset to the increase in unearned premiums recognized in connection with the change in pool participation (see note 2).

 

4.

LIABILITY FOR LOSSES AND SETTLEMENT EXPENSES

 

The following table sets forth a reconciliation of beginning and ending reserves for losses and settlement expenses of the Company. Amounts presented are on a net basis, with a reconciliation of beginning and ending reserves to the gross amounts presented in the consolidated financial statements.

 

 

Year ended December 31,

 

2006

 

2005

 

2004

Gross reserves at beginning of year 

$   544,051,061 

 

$      429,677,302 

 

$      373,782,916 

Ceded reserves at beginning of year 

(42,650,556)

 

(25,358,320)

 

(20,666,429)

Net reserves at beginning of year, 

 

 

 

 

 

before adjustment 

501,400,505 

 

404,318,982 

 

353,116,487 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adjustment to beginning reserves due to

 

 

 

 

 

change in pool agreement 

- 

 

78,818,305 

 

Net reserves at beginning of year,

 

 

 

 

 

after adjustment 

501,400,505 

 

483,137,287 

 

353,116,487 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Incurred losses and settlement expenses

 

 

 

 

 

Provision for insured events of the

 

 

 

 

 

current year 

270,368,747 

 

273,334,396 

 

229,667,776 

Increase (decrease) in provision for 

 

 

 

 

 

insured events of prior years 

(41,916,255)

 

(15,407,903)

 

20,138,434 

Total incurred losses and

 

 

 

 

 

settlement expenses 

228,452,492 

 

257,926,493 

 

249,806,210 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Payments

 

 

 

 

 

Losses and settlement expenses

 

 

 

 

 

attributable to insured events of the

 

 

 

 

 

current year 

92,061,399 

 

99,998,372 

 

83,530,727 

Losses and settlement expenses

 

 

 

 

 

attributable to insured events of 

 

 

 

 

 

prior years 

125,042,454 

 

139,664,903 

 

115,072,988 

Total payments 

217,103,853 

 

239,663,275 

 

198,603,715 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net reserves at end of year 

512,749,144 

 

501,400,505 

 

404,318,982 

Ceded reserves at end of year 

35,608,811 

 

42,650,556 

 

25,358,320 

Gross reserves at end of year, before

 

 

 

 

 

foreign currency re-valuation 

548,357,955 

 

544,051,061 

 

429,677,302 

Re-valuation due to foreign currency exchange rates 

190,027 

 

 

Gross reserves at end of year 

$   548,547,982 

 

$      544,051,061 

 

$      429,677,302 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Underwriting results of the Company are significantly influenced by the estimates of loss and settlement expense reserves. Changes in reserve estimates are reflected in operating results in the year such changes are recorded. The property and casualty insurance segment experienced favorable development on prior years’ reserves in 2006 and 2005, but adverse development in 2004, while the reinsurance segment experienced favorable development in all three years presented.

 

20

 


2006 Development

 

For the property and casualty insurance segment, the December 31, 2006 estimate of loss and settlement expense reserves for accident years 2005 and prior decreased $32,255,312 from the estimate at December 31, 2005. This decrease represents 7.9 percent of the December 31, 2005 carried reserves and is primarily attributed to the final settlement of closed claims.

 

For the reinsurance segment, the December 31, 2006 estimate of loss and settlement expense reserves for accident years 2005 and prior decreased $9,660,943 from the estimate at December 31, 2005. This decrease represents 7.2 percent of the December 31, 2005 carried reserves and is largely attributed to the 2004 and 2005 accident years in the HORAD book of business.

 

2005 Development

 

For the property and casualty insurance segment, the December 31, 2005 estimate of loss and settlement expense reserves for accident years 2004 and prior decreased $14,808,375 from the estimate at December 31, 2004. This decrease represents 4.8 percent of the December 31, 2004 carried reserves and is primarily attributed to downward development of individual case loss reserves and settlement expense reserves. In addition, during the fourth quarter the Company reallocated a portion of a bulk case loss reserve carried in the workers’ compensation line of business to various components of the loss and settlement expense reserve for the other liability line of business (IBNR, asbestos and settlement expense) and eliminated the remainder, resulting in $2,145,000 of favorable development.

 

For the reinsurance segment, the December 31, 2005 estimate of loss and settlement expense reserves for accident years 2004 and prior decreased $599,528 from the estimate at December 31, 2004. This decrease represents 0.5 percent of the December 31, 2004 carried reserves and is attributed to the HORAD book of business.

 

2004 Development

 

For the property and casualty insurance segment, the December 31, 2004 estimate of loss and settlement expense reserves for accident years 2003 and prior increased $23,738,375 from the estimate at December 31, 2003. This increase represents 9.4 percent of the December 31, 2003 carried reserves and is attributed to a combination of newly reported claims in excess of carried IBNR loss reserves ($14,758,000), development on case loss reserves of previously reported claims ($11,037,000), bulk reserve strengthening ($2,350,000), and settlement expense reserve increases resulting from increases in case loss reserves ($6,209,000). This adverse development was partially offset by $10,437,000 of reinsurance recoveries associated with the case loss reserve development and IBNR emergence. Substantial case loss reserve strengthening performed at the Company’s branch offices, primarily in the workers’ compensation and other liability lines of business, is the underlying reason for the adverse reserve development. The economic factors behind this case loss reserve strengthening include, most notably, an increase in workers’ compensation claim severity, increases in construction defect claim activity, the occurrence of several large umbrella claims and increasing legal expenses in the other liability line of business.

 

For the reinsurance segment, the December 31, 2004 estimate of loss and settlement expense reserves for accident years 2003 and prior decreased $3,599,941 from the estimate at December 31, 2003. This decrease represents 3.1 percent of the December 31, 2003 carried reserves and is primarily from reported policy year 2003 losses for property, casualty and multi-line classes that were below 2003 implicit projections.

 

5.

ASBESTOS AND ENVIRONMENTAL RELATED CLAIMS

 

The Company has exposure to asbestos and environmental related claims associated with the insurance business written by the parties to the pooling agreement and the reinsurance business assumed from Employers Mutual by the reinsurance subsidiary. These exposures are not considered to be significant. Asbestos and environmental losses paid by the Company have averaged only $363,986 per year over the past five years. Reserves for asbestos and environmental related claims for direct insurance and assumed reinsurance business totaled $7,288,116 and $6,895,641 at December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively.

 

21

 


At present, the Company is defending approximately 600 asbestos bodily injury lawsuits, some of which involve multiple plaintiffs. Most of these defenses are subject to express reservation of rights based upon the lack of an injury within the Company’s policy periods, because many asbestos lawsuits do not specifically allege dates of asbestos exposure or dates of injury. During 2003, as a direct result of proposed federal legislation in the areas of asbestos and class action reform, the Company was presented with several hundred additional lawsuits filed against three former policyholders representing approximately 66,500 claims related to exposure to asbestos or products containing asbestos. These claims are based upon nonspecific asbestos exposure and nonspecific injuries. As a result, management did not establish a significant amount of case loss reserves associated with these claims. At December 31, 2006, approximately 25,000 plaintiff cases remain open. Four former policyholders and one current policyholder dominate the Company’s asbestos claims. To date, actual losses paid have been minimal due to the plaintiffs’ failure to identify an exposure to any asbestos-containing product associated with the Company’s policyholders. Defense costs, on the other hand, have increased due to the large number of parties involved in the litigation and the length of time required to obtaining a favorable judgment. The Company believes its settlement expense reserve adequately provides for these increased expenses. Whenever possible, the Company has participated in cost sharing agreements with other insurance companies to reduce overall asbestos claim expenses.

 

Estimating loss and settlement expense reserves for asbestos and environmental claims is very difficult due to the many uncertainties surrounding these types of claims. These uncertainties exist because the assignment of responsibility varies widely by state and claims often emerge long after a policy has expired, which makes assignment of damages to the appropriate party and to the time period covered by a particular policy difficult. In establishing reserves for these types of claims, management monitors the relevant facts concerning each claim, the current status of the legal environment, social and political conditions, and claim history and trends within the Company and the industry.

 

6.

STATUTORY INFORMATION AND DIVIDEND RESTRICTIONS

 

The Company’s insurance subsidiaries are required to file financial statements with state regulatory authorities. The accounting principles used to prepare these statutory financial statements follow prescribed or permitted accounting practices that differ from GAAP. Prescribed statutory accounting principles include state laws, regulations and general administrative rules issued by the state of domicile, as well as a variety of publications and manuals of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). Permitted accounting practices encompass all accounting practices not prescribed, but allowed by the state of domicile. The Company’s insurance subsidiaries had no permitted accounting practices during 2006, 2005 and 2004.

 

Statutory surplus of the Company’s insurance subsidiaries was $310,279,721 and $259,026,263 at December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively. Statutory net income of the Company’s insurance subsidiaries was $57,701,796, $40,736,759 and $11,878,844 for 2006, 2005 and 2004, respectively.

 

The NAIC utilizes a risk-based capital model to help state regulators assess the capital adequacy of insurance companies and identify insurers that are in, or are perceived as approaching, financial difficulty. This model establishes minimum capital needs based on the risks applicable to the operations of the individual insurer. The risk-based capital requirements for property and casualty insurance companies measure three major areas of risk: asset risk, credit risk and underwriting risk. Companies having less statutory surplus than required by the risk-based capital requirements are subject to varying degrees of regulatory scrutiny and intervention, depending on the severity of the inadequacy. At December 31, 2006, the Company’s insurance subsidiaries had total adjusted statutory capital of $310,279,721, which is well in excess of the minimum risk-based capital requirement of $52,753,424.

 

The amount of retained earnings of the Company’s insurance subsidiaries available for distribution as dividends are limited by law to a percentage of the statutory unassigned surplus of each of the subsidiaries as of the previous December 31, as determined in accordance with accounting practices prescribed by insurance regulatory authorities of the state of domicile of each subsidiary. Subject to this limitation, the maximum dividend that may be paid within a 12 month period without prior approval of the insurance regulatory authorities is generally restricted to the greater of 10 percent of statutory surplus as regards policyholders as of the preceding December 31, or net income of the preceding calendar year on a statutory basis, not greater than earned statutory surplus. At December 31, 2006, $57,701,796 was available for distribution to the Company in 2007 without prior approval.

 

22

 


7.

SEGMENT INFORMATION

 

The Company’s operations consist of a property and casualty insurance segment and a reinsurance segment. The property and casualty insurance segment writes both commercial and personal lines of insurance, with a focus on medium-sized commercial accounts. The reinsurance segment provides reinsurance for other insurers and reinsurers. The segments are managed separately due to differences in the insurance products sold and the business environment in which they operate. The accounting policies of the segments are described in note 1, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies.

 

 

Summarized financial information for the Company’s segments is as follows:

 

 

Property and

 

 

 

 

 

 

Year ended

casualty 

 

 

 

Parent

 

 

December 31, 2006

insurance  

 

Reinsurance

 

company

 

Consolidated

Premiums earned 

$    318,416,718 

 

$      73,198,723 

 

$                      - 

 

$      391,615,441 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Underwriting gain 

22,401,468 

 

5,513,241 

 

- 

 

27,914,709 

Net investment income 

34,310,739 

 

12,116,726 

 

264,464 

 

46,691,929 

Realized investment gains 

4,026,538 

 

225,751 

 

- 

 

4,252,289 

Other income 

526,617 

 

- 

 

- 

 

526,617 

Interest expense 

772,500 

 

339,900 

 

- 

 

1,112,400 

Other expenses 

1,065,324 

 

61,055 

 

781,383 

 

1,907,762 

Income (loss) before income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

tax expense (benefit) 

$      59,427,538 

 

$      17,454,763 

 

$         (516,919)

 

$        76,365,382 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assets 

$    925,982,451 

 

$    274,017,436 

 

$    308,492,536 

 

$   1,508,492,423 

Eliminations 

- 

 

- 

 

(302,723,950)

 

(302,723,950)

Reclassifications 

- 

 

(94,816)

 

485,085 

 

390,269 

Net assets 

$    925,982,451 

 

$    273,922,620 

 

$        6,253,671 

 

$   1,206,158,742 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Property and

 

 

 

 

 

 

Year ended

casualty 

 

 

 

Parent

 

 

December 31, 2005

insurance  

 

Reinsurance

 

company

 

Consolidated

Premiums earned 

$    321,164,542 

 

$      94,460,204 

 

$                      - 

 

$      415,624,746 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Underwriting gain 

9,184,117 

 

8,513,282 

 

 

17,697,399 

Net investment income 

29,694,641 

 

10,783,434 

 

218,168 

 

40,696,243 

Realized investment gains (losses) 

3,803,585 

 

36,205 

 

(5,625)

 

3,834,165 

Other income 

656,846 

 

 

 

656,846 

Interest expense 

772,500 

 

339,900 

 

 

1,112,400 

Other expenses 

821,511 

 

 

840,920 

 

1,662,431 

Income (loss) before income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

tax expense (benefit) 

$      41,745,178 

 

$      18,993,021 

 

$         (628,377)

 

$        60,109,822 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assets 

$    837,933,744 

 

$    272,388,433 

 

$    262,099,903 

 

$   1,372,422,080 

Eliminations 

 

 

(258,380,998)

 

(258,380,998)

Reclassifications 

(120,633)

 

 

(238,828)

 

(359,461)

Net assets 

$    837,813,111 

 

$    272,388,433 

 

$        3,480,077 

 

$   1,113,681,621 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

23

 


 

Property and

 

 

 

 

 

 

Year ended

casualty 

 

 

 

Parent

 

 

December 31, 2004

insurance  

 

Reinsurance

 

company

 

Consolidated

Premiums earned 

$    250,034,561 

 

$      95,443,900 

 

$                      - 

 

$      345,478,461 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Underwriting gain (loss) 

(32,261,993)

 

15,227,552 

 

 

(17,034,441)

Net investment income 

20,236,342 

 

9,498,925 

 

164,936 

 

29,900,203 

Realized investment gains 

3,270,862 

 

1,108,452 

 

 

4,379,314 

Other income 

600,732 

 

 

 

600,732 

Interest expense 

772,500 

 

339,900 

 

 

1,112,400 

Other expenses 

495,783 

 

 

666,628 

 

1,162,411 

Income (loss) before income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

tax expense (benefit) 

$      (9,422,340)

 

$      25,495,029 

 

$         (501,692)

 

$        15,570,997 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The following table displays the net premiums earned of the property and casualty insurance segment and the reinsurance segment for the three years ended December 31, 2006, by line of insurance.

 

 

Year ended December 31,

 

2006

 

2005

 

2004

Property and casualty insurance segment

 

 

 

 

 

Commercial lines:

 

 

 

 

 

Automobile 

$      71,467,542 

 

$      72,417,154 

 

$      56,557,217 

Property 

61,428,919 

 

60,284,142 

 

45,718,321 

Workers' compensation 

60,393,515 

 

61,986,051 

 

48,161,493 

Liability 

69,499,230 

 

66,030,019 

 

49,515,505 

Other 

8,221,362 

 

7,226,321 

 

4,530,586 

Total commercial lines 

271,010,568 

 

267,943,687 

 

204,483,122 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Personal lines:

 

 

 

 

 

Automobile 

25,118,055 

 

29,457,545 

 

26,577,794 

Property 

21,656,438 

 

23,161,197 

 

18,519,312 

Liability 

631,657 

 

602,113 

 

454,333 

Total personal lines 

47,406,150 

 

53,220,855 

 

45,551,439 

Total property and casualty insurance 

$    318,416,718 

 

$    321,164,542 

 

$    250,034,561 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reinsurance segment

 

 

 

 

 

Pro rata reinsurance:

 

 

 

 

 

Property and casualty 

$      10,900,235 

 

$      19,156,254 

 

$      20,949,377 

Property 

13,087,674 

 

16,620,046 

 

13,613,470 

Crop 

4,259,551 

 

3,969,105 

 

4,023,854 

Casualty 

1,435,813 

 

1,001,623 

 

955,605 

Marine/Aviation 

2,962,231 

 

7,224,739 

 

11,095,736 

Total pro rata reinsurance 

32,645,504 

 

47,971,767 

 

50,638,042 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Excess-of-loss reinsurance:

 

 

 

 

 

Property 

28,071,206 

 

30,465,005 

 

26,855,018 

Casualty 

12,452,208 

 

16,069,819 

 

17,356,513 

Surety 

29,805 

 

(46,387)

 

594,327 

Total excess-of-loss reinsurance 

40,553,219 

 

46,488,437 

 

44,805,858 

Total reinsurance 

$      73,198,723 

 

$      94,460,204 

 

$      95,443,900 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Consolidated 

$    391,615,441 

 

$    415,624,746 

 

$    345,478,461 

 

 

24

 


8.         INVESTMENTS

 

Investments of the Company’s insurance subsidiaries are subject to the insurance laws of the state of their incorporation. These laws prescribe the kind, quality and concentration of investments that may be made by insurance companies. In general, these laws permit investments, within specified limits and subject to certain qualifications, in federal, state and municipal obligations, corporate bonds, preferred and common stocks and real estate mortgages. The Company believes that it is in compliance with these laws.

 

The amortized cost and estimated fair value of securities held-to-maturity and available-for-sale as of December 31, 2006 and 2005 are as follows. The estimated fair value is based on quoted market prices, where available, or on values obtained from independent pricing services.

 

 

 

 

Gross

 

Gross

 

 

 

Amortized

 

unrealized

 

unrealized

 

Estimated

December 31, 2006

cost

 

gains

 

losses

 

fair value

Securities held-to-maturity:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fixed maturity securities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. treasury securities and

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

obligations of U.S. government

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

corporations and agencies 

$     4,996,845 

 

$        46,386 

 

$               - 

 

$     5,043,231 

Mortgage-backed securities 

683,115 

 

42,572 

 

- 

 

725,687 

Total securities held-to-maturity 

$     5,679,960 

 

$        88,958 

 

$               - 

 

$     5,768,918 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Securities available-for-sale:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fixed maturity securities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. treasury securities and

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

obligations of U.S. government

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

corporations and agencies 

$ 427,412,485 

 

$      329,948 

 

$ 5,598,414 

 

$ 422,144,019 

Obligations of states and 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

political subdivisions 

258,311,579 

 

11,011,346 

 

8,920 

 

269,314,005 

Mortgage-backed securities 

18,316,236 

 

880,460 

 

93,506 

 

19,103,190 

Public utilities 

6,003,305 

 

329,532 

 

- 

 

6,332,837 

Debt securities issued by 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

foreign governments 

6,904,081 

 

71,495 

 

17,930 

 

6,957,646 

Corporate securities 

97,836,950 

 

3,309,417 

 

491,693 

 

100,654,674 

Total fixed maturity securities 

814,784,636 

 

15,932,198 

 

6,210,463 

 

824,506,371 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Equity securities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common stocks 

68,589,044 

 

35,609,868 

 

462,732 

 

103,736,180 

Non-redeemable preferred stocks 

8,500,000 

 

291,300 

 

- 

 

8,791,300 

Total equity securities 

77,089,044 

 

35,901,168 

 

462,732 

 

112,527,480 

Total securities 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

available-for-sale 

$ 891,873,680 

 

$ 51,833,366 

 

$ 6,673,195 

 

$ 937,033,851 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

25

 


 

 

 

Gross

 

Gross

 

 

 

Amortized

 

unrealized

 

unrealized

 

Estimated

December 31, 2005

cost

 

gains

 

losses

 

fair value

Securities held-to-maturity:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fixed maturity securities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. treasury securities and

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

obligations of U.S. government

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

corporations and agencies 

$   19,011,338 

 

$      327,633 

 

$               - 

 

$   19,338,971 

Mortgage-backed securities 

783,068 

 

57,169 

 

 

840,237 

Total securities held-to-maturity 

$   19,794,406 

 

$      384,802 

 

$               - 

 

$   20,179,208 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Securities available-for-sale:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fixed maturity securities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. treasury securities and

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

obligations of U.S. government

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

corporations and agencies 

$ 387,277,930 

 

$      298,231 

 

$ 4,221,774 

 

$ 383,354,387 

Obligations of states and 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

political subdivisions 

250,974,764 

 

10,382,435 

 

41,503 

 

261,315,696 

Mortgage-backed securities 

9,861,292 

 

357,398 

 

6,279 

 

10,212,411 

Public utilities 

6,003,943 

 

483,199 

 

 

6,487,142 

Debt securities issued by 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

foreign governments 

7,044,457 

 

97,771 

 

16,115 

 

7,126,113 

Corporate securities 

121,604,984 

 

6,084,022 

 

1,128,662 

 

126,560,344 

Total fixed maturity securities 

782,767,370 

 

17,703,056 

 

5,414,333 

 

795,056,093 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Equity securities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common stocks 

62,615,755 

 

27,758,728 

 

594,311 

 

89,780,172 

Non-redeemable preferred stocks 

3,500,000 

 

63,000 

 

 

3,563,000 

Total equity securities 

66,115,755 

 

27,821,728 

 

594,311 

 

93,343,172 

Total securities 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

available-for-sale 

$ 848,883,125 

 

$ 45,524,784 

 

$ 6,008,644 

 

$ 888,399,265 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

26

 


The following table sets forth the estimated fair value and gross unrealized losses associated with investment securities that were in an unrealized loss position as of December 31, 2006 and 2005, listed by length of time the securities have been in an unrealized loss position.

 

December 31, 2006

Less than twelve months

 

Twelve months or longer

 

Total

 

Fair

Unrealized

 

Fair

Unrealized

 

Fair

Unrealized

Description of securities

value

losses

 

value

losses

 

value

losses

U.S. Treasury 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

securities and

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

obligations of

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. government

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

corporations

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and agencies 

$   78,201,617 

$    398,385 

 

$ 304,240,856 

$ 5,200,029 

 

$ 382,442,473 

$ 5,598,414 

Obligations of

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

states and

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

political  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

subdivisions 

3,042,105 

8,920 

 

- 

- 

 

3,042,105 

8,920 

Mortgage-backed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

securities 

- 

- 

 

8,037,355 

93,506 

 

8,037,355 

93,506 

Debt securities issued

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

by foreign

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

governments 

5,887,238 

17,930 

 

- 

- 

 

5,887,238 

17,930 

Corporate securities 

6,201,430 

23,085 

 

23,742,423 

468,608 

 

29,943,853 

491,693 

Subtotal, fixed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

maturity securities 

93,332,390 

448,320 

 

336,020,634 

5,762,143 

 

429,353,024 

6,210,463 

Common stocks 

14,207,805 

462,732 

 

- 

- 

 

14,207,805 

462,732 

Total temporarily

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

impaired securities 

$ 107,540,195 

$    911,052 

 

$ 336,020,634 

$ 5,762,143 

 

$ 443,560,829 

$ 6,673,195 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 31, 2005

Less than twelve months

 

Twelve months or longer

 

Total

 

Fair

Unrealized

 

Fair

Unrealized

 

Fair

Unrealized

Description of securities

value

losses

 

value

losses

 

value

losses

U.S. Treasury

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

securities and

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

obligations of 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. government

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

corporations

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and agencies

$ 273,204,392 

$ 3,739,141 

 

$   29,008,750 

$    482,633 

 

$ 302,213,142 

$ 4,221,774 

Obligations of

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

states and

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

political

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

subdivisions 

12,444,559 

33,174 

 

2,013,080 

8,329 

 

14,457,639 

41,503 

Mortgage-backed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

securities

4,707,707 

6,279 

 

 

4,707,707 

6,279 

Debt securities issued

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

by foreign

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

governments 

6,029,788 

16,115 

 

 

6,029,788 

16,115 

Corporate securities 

33,153,944 

1,109,938 

 

802,516 

18,724 

 

33,956,460 

1,128,662 

Subtotal, fixed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

maturity securities 

329,540,390 

4,904,647 

 

31,824,346 

509,686 

 

361,364,736 

5,414,333 

Common stocks 

11,411,999 

540,390 

 

645,638 

53,921 

 

12,057,637 

594,311 

Total temporarily

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

impaired securities 

$ 340,952,389 

$ 5,445,037 

 

$   32,469,984 

$    563,607 

 

$ 373,422,373 

$ 6,008,644 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

27

 


          Unrealized losses on fixed maturity securities totaled $6,210,463 at December 31, 2006. The unrealized losses on U.S. treasury securities and government obligations, obligations of states and political subdivisions, mortgage-backed securities and debt securities issued by foreign governments were all primarily caused by an increase in interest rates. Because the Company has both the ability and intent to hold these fixed maturity securities until maturity, it was determined that the carrying value of these securities was not “other-than-temporarily” impaired at December 31, 2006.

 

The unrealized losses on corporate securities at December 31, 2006 include $55,572 of unrealized losses on General Motors Acceptance Corporation (GMAC) fixed maturity securities that have been in an unrealized loss position for more than twelve months, and $12,066 of unrealized losses on Sears Roebuck Acceptance Corporation fixed maturity securities that have been in an unrealized loss position for less than twelve months. These securities were downgraded to non-investment grade by credit rating agencies. The Company believes that it will collect all interest and principal payments due on these securities. Because the Company has both the ability and intent to hold these fixed maturity securities until maturity, it was determined that the carrying value of these securities was not “other-than-temporarily” impaired at December 31, 2006.

 

The unrealized losses on common stocks at December 31, 2006 are not concentrated in a particular sector or an individual security. The Company believes the unrealized losses are primarily due to general fluctuations in the stock markets and does not consider these securities to be “other-than-temporarily” impaired at December 31, 2006.

 

The amortized cost and estimated fair value of fixed maturity securities at December 31, 2006, by contractual maturity, are shown below. Expected maturities may differ from contractual maturities because borrowers may have the right to call or prepay obligations, with or without call or prepayment penalties.

 

 

Amortized 

 

Estimated

 

cost 

 

fair value 

Securities held-to-maturity:

 

 

 

Due in one year or less 

$       4,000,000 

 

$       4,033,816 

Due after one year through five years 

- 

 

- 

Due after five years through ten years 

996,845 

 

1,009,415 

Due after ten years 

- 

 

- 

Mortgage-backed securities 

683,115 

 

725,687 

Totals 

$       5,679,960 

 

$       5,768,918 

 

 

 

 

Securities available-for-sale:

 

 

 

Due in one year or less 

$     46,465,298 

 

$     46,632,528 

Due after one year through five years 

119,312,145 

 

121,188,693 

Due after five years through ten years 

310,379,860 

 

307,828,046 

Due after ten years 

320,311,097 

 

329,753,914 

Mortgage-backed securities 

18,316,236 

 

19,103,190 

Totals 

$   814,784,636 

 

$   824,506,371 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The mortgage-backed securities shown in the above tables include $1,593,938 of securities issued by government corporations and agencies. Investment yields may vary from those anticipated due to changes in the prepayment patterns of the underlying collateral.

 

28

 


 

A summary of realized investment gains and losses is as follows:

 

 

Year ended December 31,

 

2006

 

2005

 

2004

Fixed maturity securities

 

 

 

 

 

held-to-maturity:  (1)

 

 

 

 

 

Gross realized investment gains 

$                 - 

 

$                    - 

 

$            9,099 

Gross realized investment losses 

- 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fixed maturity securities

 

 

 

 

 

available-for-sale:  (2)

 

 

 

 

 

Gross realized investment gains 

489,813 

 

1,037,489 

 

5,188,496 

Gross realized investment losses 

- 

 

(5,625)

 

(1,576,462)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Equity securities

 

 

 

 

 

available-for-sale:  (3)

 

 

 

 

 

Gross realized investment gains 

7,751,897 

 

5,245,640 

 

2,784,039 

Gross realized investment losses 

(3,989,421)

 

(2,443,339)

 

(2,025,858)

Totals 

$   4,252,289 

 

$     3,834,165 

 

$     4,379,314 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(1)    Investment gains realized on fixed maturity securities held-to-maturity are the result of calls and prepayments.

 

(2)    Investment losses realized on fixed maturity securities available-for-sale for the year ended December 31, 2004 include “other-than-temporary” impairment write-downs totaling $1,323,475 on MCI Communications Corporation bonds.

 

(3)    Investment losses realized on equity securities for the year ended December 31, 2006 include “other-than-temporary” impairment write-downs totaling $749,854. Of the 12 equity securities that were impaired, seven were sold and one was partially sold, producing gross realized gains of $247,109 and additional gross realized losses of $30,079 during 2006.

 

 

A summary of net investment income is as follows:

 

 

Year ended December 31,

 

2006

 

2005

 

2004

Interest on fixed maturities 

$   45,119,600 

 

$      38,692,057 

 

$      28,305,693 

Dividends on equity securities 

1,871,420 

 

1,188,617 

 

827,112 

Interest on short-term investments 

789,114 

 

1,428,903 

 

985,105 

Interest on long-term investments 

383,195 

 

548,393 

 

518,793 

Fees from securities lending 

41,408 

 

47,368 

 

104,953 

Total investment income 

48,204,737 

 

41,905,338 

 

30,741,656 

Investment expenses 

(1,512,808)

 

(1,209,095)

 

(841,453)

Net investment income 

$   46,691,929 

 

$      40,696,243 

 

$      29,900,203 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

29

 


         A summary of net changes in unrealized holding gains (losses) on securities available-for-sale is as follows:

 

 

Year ended December 31,

 

2006

 

2005

 

2004

Fixed maturity securities 

$   (2,566,988)

 

$  (11,574,684)

 

$       (411,813)

Applicable deferred income tax  benefit 

(898,447)

 

(4,051,140)

 

(144,134)

Total fixed maturity securities 

(1,668,541)

 

(7,523,544)

 

(267,679)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Equity securities 

8,211,019 

 

8,123,957 

 

9,093,037 

Applicable deferred income tax  benefit 

2,873,858 

 

2,843,384 

 

3,182,563 

Total equity securities 

5,337,161 

 

5,280,573 

 

5,910,474 

Total available-for-sale securities 

$     3,668,620 

 

$    (2,242,971)

 

$     5,642,795 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9.

INCOME TAXES

 

Temporary differences between the consolidated financial statement carrying amount and tax basis of assets and liabilities that give rise to significant portions of the deferred income tax asset at December 31, 2006 and 2005 are as follows:

 

 

Year ended December 31, 

 

2006

 

2005

Loss reserve discounting 

$     22,326,460 

 

$        23,436,033 

Unearned premium reserve limitation 

10,674,281 

 

11,021,095 

Retirement benefits 

2,944,737 

 

2,150,748 

Other policyholders' funds payable 

2,562,188 

 

1,875,691 

Other, net 

2,692,938 

 

2,048,690 

Total deferred income tax asset 

41,200,604 

 

40,532,257 

Deferred policy acquisition costs 

(11,781,843)

 

(11,937,176)

Net unrealized holding gains on investment securities

(15,806,061)

 

(13,830,649)

Other, net 

(1,209,559)

 

(1,255,063)

Total deferred income tax liability 

(28,797,463)

 

(27,022,888)

Net deferred income tax asset 

$     12,403,141 

 

$        13,509,369 

 

 

 

 

 

Based upon anticipated future taxable income and consideration of all other available evidence, management believes that it is “more likely than not” that the Company’s net deferred income tax asset will be realized.

 

30

 


The actual income tax expense for the years ended December 31, 2006, 2005 and 2004 differed from the “expected” tax expense for those years (computed by applying the United States federal corporate tax rate of 35 percent to income before income tax expense) as follows:

 

 

Year ended December 31,

 

2006 

 

2005 

 

2004 

Computed "expected" tax expense 

$   26,727,884 

 

$      21,038,438 

 

$        5,449,848 

Increases (decreases) in tax resulting from:

 

 

 

 

 

Tax-exempt interest income 

(4,329,114)

 

(4,388,849)

 

(3,430,616)

Proration of tax-exempt interest and

 

 

 

 

 

dividends received deduction 

717,217 

 

685,417 

 

544,317 

Other, net 

(297,709)

 

(234,229)

 

(177,235)

Income tax expense 

$   22,818,278 

 

$      17,100,777 

 

$        2,386,314 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comprehensive income tax expense included in the consolidated financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2006, 2005 and 2004 is as follows:

 

 

Year ended December 31,

 

2006 

 

2005 

 

2004 

Income tax expense (benefit) on:

 

 

 

 

 

Operations 

$   22,818,278 

 

$      17,100,777 

 

$        2,386,314 

Change in unrealized holding gains (losses) on 

 

 

 

 

 

investment securities 

1,975,411 

 

(1,207,756)

 

3,038,428 

Minimum pension liability 

92,688 

 

(116,015)

 

Comprehensive income tax expense 

24,886,377 

 

15,777,006 

 

5,424,742 

Adjustment for adoption of SFAS No. 158:

 

 

 

 

 

Pension plans 

(1,623,653)

 

 

Postretirement benefit plans 

(732,595)

 

 

Income tax expense reflected in accumulated

 

 

 

 

 

other comprehensive income 

$   22,530,129 

 

$      15,777,006 

 

$        5,424,742 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10.

SURPLUS NOTES

 

On December 28, 2001, three of the Company’s property and casualty insurance subsidiaries issued surplus notes totaling $25,000,000 to Employers Mutual at an annual interest rate of 5.38 percent. On June 27, 2002, the Company’s reinsurance subsidiary issued an $11,000,000 surplus note to Employers Mutual at an annual interest rate of 5.25 percent. These surplus notes do not have a maturity date. Effective April 1, 2003, all of the surplus notes were reissued at an annual interest rate of 3.09 percent. Payment of interest and repayment of principal can only be made out of each subsidiary’s statutory surplus earnings and is subject to approval by the issuing company’s state of domicile. The surplus notes are subordinate and junior in right of payment to all obligations or liabilities of the subsidiaries. Interest expense on surplus notes amounted to $1,112,400 for 2006, 2005 and 2004.

 

11.

EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT PLANS

 

Employers Mutual has various employee benefit plans, including a defined benefit retirement plan (pension) and a supplemental retirement plan. Employers Mutual also has two postretirement benefit plans that provide retiree healthcare and life insurance coverage. Although the Company has no employees of its own, it is responsible for its share of the expenses and related prepaid assets and liabilities of these plans under the terms of the pooling agreement and the cost allocation methodologies applicable to subsidiaries that do not participate in the pooling agreement (see note 2). Accordingly, the Company’s consolidated balance sheets reflect the Company’s share of the total plans’ prepaid assets and liabilities.

 

31

 


          Employers Mutual’s pension plan covers substantially all of its employees. The plan is funded by employer contributions and provides benefits under two different formulas, depending on an employee’s age and date of service. Benefits generally vest after five years of service. It is Employers Mutual’s funding policy to make contributions that meet minimum regulatory requirements plus additional amounts as determined by management.

 

Employers Mutual’s supplemental retirement plan provides retirement benefits for a select group of management and highly-compensated employees. This plan enables select employees to receive retirement benefits without the limit on compensation imposed on qualified defined benefit pension plans by the Internal Revenue Service and to recognize certain other compensation in the determination of retirement benefits. The plan is unfunded and benefits generally vest after five years of service.

 

Employers Mutual also offers postretirement benefit plans which provide certain health care and life insurance benefits for retired employees. Substantially all of its employees may become eligible for those benefits if they reach normal retirement age and have attained the required length of service while working for Employers Mutual or its subsidiaries. The health care postretirement plan requires contributions from participants and contains certain cost sharing provisions such as coinsurance and deductibles. The life insurance plan is noncontributory. The benefits provided under both plans are subject to change.

 

Employers Mutual maintains two Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA) trusts, which accumulate funds for the payment of postretirement health care and life insurance benefits. Contributions to the VEBA trusts are used to fund the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation, as well as pay current year benefits.

 

On December 8, 2003, the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 (the “Act”) was signed into law. The Act expanded Medicare to include, for the first time, coverage for prescription drugs. In January 2004, the FASB issued Staff Position FAS No. 106-1 “Accounting and Disclosure Requirements Related to the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003”, which permitted a sponsor of a postretirement health care plan that provides prescription drug benefits to make a one-time election to defer accounting for the effects of the Act. In May 2004, the FASB issued Staff Position FAS No. 106-2, which superseded FAS 106-1 and was effective for interim and annual periods beginning after June 15, 2004. FAS No. 106-2 provides accounting guidance and disclosure requirements for the prescription drug subsidy established under the Act.

 

In accordance with FSP 106-2, Employers Mutual re-measured its postretirement health care plan as of January 1, 2004 to account for the subsidy. This re-measurement resulted in a $9,899,120 decrease in the accumulated projected benefit obligation and a $1,536,635 decrease in the net periodic postretirement benefit cost for 2004. The reduction in the net periodic postretirement benefit cost for 2004 was comprised of a $580,952 reduction in service cost, a $494,956 reduction in interest cost and a $460,727 reduction in the amortization of net loss.

 

Adoption of FAS 106-2 resulted in a $344,235 reduction in the Company’s share of net periodic postretirement benefit cost for the year ended December 31, 2004.

 

The Company adopted SFAS 158 as of December 31, 2006 (see note 1). The disclosures for 2005 and 2004 have not been changed as SFAS 158 prohibits retrospective application.

 

32

 


The following table sets forth the funded status of Employers Mutual’s pension and postretirement benefit plans as of December 31, 2006 and 2005, based upon a measurement date of November 1, 2006 and 2005, respectively:

 

 

Pension plans 

 

Postretirement benefit plans 

 

2006

 

2005

 

2006

 

2005

Change in projected benefit obligation:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Benefit obligation at beginning of year 

$153,485,247 

 

$    140,605,466 

 

$   87,036,444 

 

$      68,945,752 

Service cost 

8,508,066 

 

7,746,512 

 

4,979,577 

 

4,159,926 

Interest cost 

8,470,280 

 

8,165,245 

 

4,945,590 

 

4,075,046 

Actuarial (gain) loss 

(3,149,071)

 

5,712,599 

 

(7,241,098)

 

11,691,228 

Benefits paid 

(9,218,003)

 

(8,744,575)

 

(1,757,613)

 

(1,835,508)

Projected benefit obligation at end

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

of year 

158,096,519 

 

153,485,247 

 

87,962,900 

 

87,036,444 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Change in plan assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fair value of plan assets at beginning 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

of year 

139,021,514 

 

119,949,789 

 

23,141,386 

 

19,454,427 

Actual return on plan assets 

20,349,413 

 

12,603,577 

 

2,318,016 

 

1,142,467 

Employer contributions 

27,835,275 

 

15,212,723 

 

5,550,000 

 

4,380,000 

Benefits paid 

(9,218,003)

 

(8,744,575)

 

(1,757,613)

 

(1,835,508)

Fair value of plan assets at end 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

of year 

177,988,199 

 

139,021,514 

 

29,251,789 

 

23,141,386 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Funded status 

19,891,680 

 

(14,463,733)

 

(58,711,111)

 

(63,895,058)

Unrecognized net actuarial loss 

- 

 

27,930,005 

 

- 

 

16,653,931 

Unrecognized prior service costs 

- 

 

2,896,186 

 

- 

 

Employer contributions 

- 

 

 

900,000 

 

1,350,000 

Net amount recognized 

$   19,891,680 

 

$      16,362,458 

 

$ (57,811,111)

 

$    (45,891,127)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amounts recognized in EMC Insurance

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Companies accumulated other 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

comprehensive income:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net actuarial loss 

$   13,105,022 

 

$                     - 

 

$     7,665,183 

 

$                    - 

Prior service cost 

2,453,299 

 

 

- 

 

Minimum liability 

- 

 

1,049,083 

 

- 

 

 

$   15,558,321 

 

$        1,049,083 

 

$     7,665,183 

 

$                    - 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The amounts recognized in the Company’s accumulated other comprehensive income as of December 31, 2006 and 2005 is as follows:

 

Pension plans 

 

Postretirement benefit plans 

 

2006

 

2005

 

2006

 

2005

Net actuarial loss 

$     2,581,385 

 

$                      - 

 

$     1,360,534 

 

$                 - 

Prior service cost 

477,290 

 

 

- 

 

Minimum liability 

- 

 

215,453 

 

- 

 

 

$     3,058,675 

 

$           215,453 

 

$     1,360,534 

 

$                 - 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During 2007, the Company will amortize $60,506 of the net actuarial loss and $132,907 of the prior service cost associated with the pension plans into net periodic benefit cost. No portion of the net actuarial loss associated with the postretirement benefit plans will be amortized into net periodic benefit cost during 2007.

 

The accumulated benefit obligation for the pension plans amounted to $130,839,570 and $125,661,091 at December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively.

 

33

 


Employers Mutual’s Supplemental Retirement Plan had an accumulated benefit obligation in excess of plan assets as of December 31, 2006 and 2005 as follows:

 

 

Year ended December 31,

 

2006

 

2005

Projected benefit obligation 

$     6,291,925 

 

$        7,083,802 

Accumulated benefit obligation 

3,735,518 

 

3,668,343 

Fair value of plan assets 

- 

 

 

 

The components of net periodic benefit cost for Employers Mutual’s pension and postretirement benefit plans is as follows:

 

 

Year ended December 31,

 

2006

 

2005

 

2004

Pension plans:

 

 

 

 

 

Service cost 

$   8,508,066 

 

$   7,746,512 

 

$   6,818,518 

Interest cost 

8,470,280 

 

8,165,245 

 

7,052,951 

Expected return on plan assets 

(10,015,275)

 

(8,883,028)

 

(6,760,528)

Recognized net actuarial loss 

1,179,058 

 

1,137,354 

 

855,686 

Amortization of prior service costs 

442,887 

 

447,455 

 

765,825 

Net periodic pension benefit costs 

$   8,585,016 

 

$   8,613,538 

 

$   8,732,452 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Postretirement benefit plans:

 

 

 

 

 

Service cost 

$   4,979,577 

 

$   4,159,926 

 

$   3,995,555 

Interest cost 

4,945,590 

 

4,075,046 

 

3,819,081 

Expected return on plan assets 

(1,341,744)

 

(1,089,129)

 

(900,883)

Amortization of net loss 

680,507 

 

40,091 

 

130,593 

Net periodic postretirement benefit costs 

$   9,263,930 

 

$   7,185,934 

 

$   7,044,346 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pension plans 

 

Postretirement benefit plans 

 

2006

 

2005

 

2006

 

2005

Increase (decrease)  in minimum liability 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

included in EMC Insurance Companies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

other comprehensive income 

$    (838,854)

 

$     1,049,083 

 

N/A 

 

N/A 

 

 

 

The weighted-average assumptions used to measure the benefit obligations are as follows:

 

 

Year ended December 31,

 

2006

 

2005

Pension plans:

 

 

 

Discount rate 

5.75%

 

5.75%

Rate of compensation increase: 

 

 

 

Defined benefit retirement plan 

4.73%

 

4.76%

Supplemental retirement plan 

4.73%

 

4.80%

 

 

 

 

Postretirement benefit plans:

 

 

 

Discount rate 

5.75%

 

5.75%

 

 

34

 


         The weighted-average assumptions used to measure the net periodic benefit cost are as follows:

 

 

Year ended December 31,

 

2006

 

2005

 

2004

Pension plans:

 

 

 

 

 

Discount rate 

5.75%

 

6.00%

 

6.00%

Expected long-term rate of return on plan assets 

7.50%

 

7.50%

 

7.50%

Rate of compensation increase: 

 

 

 

 

 

Defined benefit retirement plan 

4.76%

 

4.81%

 

4.82%

Supplemental retirement plan 

4.80%

 

4.80%

 

4.80%

 

 

 

 

 

 

Postretirement benefit plans:

 

 

 

 

 

Discount rate 

5.75%

 

6.00%

 

6.00%

Expected long-term rate of return on plan assets 

5.00%

 

5.00%

 

5.00%

 

The expected long-term rates of return on plan assets were developed considering actual historical results, current and expected market conditions, plan asset mix and management’s investment strategy.

 

 

Year ended December 31,

Assumed health care cost trend rates:

2006

 

2005

Health care cost trend rate assumed for next year 

11.00%

 

12.00%

Rate to which the cost trend rate is assumed to

 

 

 

decline (the ultimate trend rate) 

5.00%

 

5.00%

Year that the rate reaches the ultimate trend rate 

2012 

 

2012 

 

Assumed health care cost trend rates have a significant effect on the amounts reported for the health care plans. A one-percentage-point change in assumed health care cost trend rates would have the following effects:

 

 

One-percentage-point

 

Increase

 

Decrease

Effect on total of service and interest cost  

$     1,963,571 

 

$    (1,543,249)

Effect on postretirement benefit obligation 

$   14,019,017 

 

$  (11,249,129)

 

The Company’s financial statements reflect a pension asset of $7,836,958 in 2006 and $5,633,370 in 2005, and a pension liability of $1,913,986 in 2006 and $1,086,438 (including $331,468 of additional minimum liability) in 2005. Pension expense allocated to the Company amounted to $2,641,361, $2,649,234 and $2,122,425 in 2006, 2005 and 2004, respectively.

 

Postretirement benefit liabilities reflected in the Company’s financial statements totaled $15,786,386 in 2006 and $12,594,950 in 2005. Net periodic postretirement benefit cost allocated to the Company for the years ended December 31, 2006, 2005 and 2004 was $2,656,023, $2,050,172 and $1,583,172, respectively.

 

The weighted-average asset allocation of Employers Mutual’s defined benefit retirement plan as of the measurement dates of November 1, 2006 and 2005 are as follows:

 

 

Plan assets at November 1,

Asset category:

2006

 

2005

Equity securities 

67.0%

 

58.0%

Debt securities 

24.0%

 

30.0%

Real estate 

9.0%

 

12.0%

Total 

100.0%

 

100.0%

 

 

 

 

 

 

35

 


Employers Mutual has retained Principal Financial Advisors, Inc. to manage the asset allocation strategy for its defined benefit retirement plan (herein referred to as Fund Selection Service). The asset allocation strategy and process of the Fund Selection Service consists of a long-term, risk-controlled approach using diversified investment options with a minimal exposure to volatile investment options like derivatives. The long-term strategy of the Fund Selection Service is foremost preserving plan assets from downside market risk, while secondarily out-performing its peers over a full market cycle. The investment process of Fund Selection Service uses a diversified allocation of equity, debt and real estate exposures that are customized to each plan’s cash flow needs.

 

The Fund Selection Service reviews a plan’s assets and liabilities with an emphasis on forecasting a plan’s cash flow needs. This forecast calculates the allocation percentage of fixed income assets needed to cover the liabilities of each plan. The model is quantitatively based and evaluates the plan’s current assets plus five years of deposit projections and compares it to the current monthly benefit payments and the emerging benefit liabilities for the next ten years. The data for the deposits and emerging liabilities is provided from the plan’s actuarial valuation, while the current assets and monthly benefit payments data is provided from Principal Life Insurance Company’s retirement plan account system.

 

The weighted-average asset allocation of Employers Mutual’s VEBA trusts that are used to fund the postretirement benefit plans as of the measurement dates of November 1, 2006 and 2005 are as follows:

 

 

Plan assets at November 1,

Asset category:

2006

 

2005

Life insurance policies 

37.5%

 

45.8%

Short-term investments 

5.1%

 

8.4%

Equity securities 

31.3%

 

34.5%

Debt securities 

26.1%

 

11.3%

Total 

100.0%

 

100.0%

 

 

 

 

 

Plan assets in Employers Mutual’s VEBA trusts are primarily invested in universal life insurance policies issued by EMC National Life Company, an affiliate of Employers Mutual. The assets supporting these universal life insurance policies are invested in S&P 500 mutual funds and debt securities and have a guaranteed interest rate of 4.5 percent.

 

Employers Mutual plans to contribute approximately $17,000,000 to the pension plan and $4,172,000 to the VEBA trusts in 2007.

 

The Company participates in several other retirement plans sponsored by Employers Mutual, including a 401(k) Plan and an Executive Non-Qualified Excess Plan. The Company’s share of expenses for these plans amounted to $1,409,914, $1,064,546 and $1,139,411 in 2006, 2005 and 2004, respectively.

 

The following benefit payments, which reflect expected future service, as appropriate, are expected to be paid from the plans over the next ten years:

 

 

 

 

Postretirement benefits

 

Pension benefits

 

Gross

 

Medicare subsidy

 

Net

2007 

$        13,851,353 

 

$          2,383,094 

 

$                245,780 

 

$          2,137,314 

2008 

11,873,119 

 

2,767,832 

 

295,638 

 

2,472,194 

2009 

13,897,119 

 

3,280,199 

 

344,231 

 

2,935,968 

2010 

14,876,119 

 

3,828,033 

 

414,297 

 

3,413,736 

2011 

15,701,121 

 

4,394,039 

 

489,294 

 

3,904,745 

2012 - 2016 

93,391,000 

 

30,067,645 

 

3,881,561 

 

26,186,084 

 

 

36

 


12.

STOCK PLANS

 

The Company has no stock-based compensation plans of its own; however, Employers Mutual has several stock plans which utilize the common stock of the Company. Employers Mutual can provide the common stock required under its plans by: 1) using shares of common stock that it currently owns; 2) purchasing common stock on the open market; or 3) directly purchasing common stock from the Company at the current fair value. Employers Mutual has historically purchased common stock from the Company for use in its incentive stock option plans and its non-employee director stock purchase plan. Employers Mutual generally purchases common stock on the open market to fulfill its obligations under its employee stock purchase plan.

 

Incentive Stock Option Plans

 

Employers Mutual maintains two separate incentive stock option plans for the benefit of officers and key employees of Employers Mutual and its subsidiaries. A total of 1,000,000 shares have been reserved for issuance under the 1993 Employers Mutual Casualty Company Incentive Stock Option Plan (1993 Plan) and a total of 1,500,000 shares of the Company’s common stock have been reserved for the 2003 Employers Mutual Casualty Company Incentive Stock Option Plan (2003 Plan).

 

There is a ten year time limit for granting options under the plans. Options can no longer be granted under the 1993 Plan. Options granted under the plans have a vesting period of two, three, four or five years with options becoming exercisable in equal annual cumulative increments. Option prices cannot be less than the fair value of the common stock on the date of grant.

 

The Senior Executive Compensation and Stock Option Committee (the “Committee”) of Employers Mutual’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) grants the options and is the administrator of the plans. In 2004, the Company’s Board of Directors established its own Compensation Committee (the “Company Compensation Committee”) and, commencing in 2005, the Company Compensation Committee must consider and approve all stock options granted to the Company’s executive officers.

 

Under the terms of the pooling and quota share agreements, stock option expense is allocated to the Company’s insurance subsidiaries as determined on a statutory basis of accounting. The Company’s insurance subsidiaries reimburse Employers Mutual for their share of the statutory-basis compensation expense (equal to the excess of the fair value of the stock on the option exercise date over the option’s exercise price) associated with stock option exercises.

 

Effective January 1, 2006, the Company adopted SFAS 123(R) using the modified prospective method, which requires compensation expense to be recorded for all options granted after the date of adoption, as well as for existing options for which the requisite service has not been rendered as of the date of adoption. The modified-prospective method does not require restatement of prior periods to reflect the impact of SFAS 123(R). There was no initial change to net income or stockholders’ equity upon the adoption of SFAS 123(R). Under the provisions of SFAS 123(R), the Company recognized compensation expense of $178,439 (gross and net of tax) during 2006 related to the stock options granted in 2006 and the vesting of options granted in 2001 through 2005.

 

In accordance with IRS regulations, Employers Mutual’s incentive stock option plans include a restriction that the aggregate fair market value of common stock with respect to which stock options are exercisable for the first time by an option holder may not exceed $100,000 during any calendar year. This restriction, in effect, places a limitation on the number of stock options that can be granted to a participant during any given year. During 2006, Employers Mutual determined that there had been an oversight in the record-keeping for the incentive stock option plans which (1) resulted in the issuance of “invalid” stock options to three of the Company’s executive officers in prior years, and (2) precluded the issuance of 2006 stock option grants to these executive officers that had previously been authorized as part of their 2006 compensation arrangements. To rectify the “invalid” stock option issue, Employers Mutual entered into agreements with the three executive officers in 2006 whereby they surrendered a total of 15,647 “invalid” stock options that were still outstanding for a negotiated cash settlement. In addition, Employers Mutual purchased 10,553 shares of the Company’s common stock from one of the executive officers who had previously exercised the same number of “invalid” stock options and returned the common stock to the Company for cancellation. The Company reimbursed Employers Mutual for the original issuance price of the cancelled common stock. Additional arrangements were made to compensate the executive officers for the 2006 option grants they did not receive.

 

37

 


During 2006, 188,175 options were granted under the 2003 Plan to eligible participants at a price of $24.60 and 155,519 options were exercised under the plans at prices ranging from $19.96 to $36.34. A summary of the activity under Employers Mutual’s incentive stock option plans for 2006, 2005 and 2004 is as follows:

 

 

Year ended December 31, 

 

2006

 

2005

 

2004

 

 

Weighted-

 

 

Weighted-

 

 

Weighted-

 

 

average

 

 

average

 

 

average

 

 

exercise

 

 

exercise

 

 

exercise

 

Options

price

 

Options

price

 

Options

price

Outstanding, beginning of year 

733,999 

$     16.50 

 

583,538 

$      14.34 

 

630,615 

$      12.86 

Granted 

188,175 

24.60 

 

255,200 

19.35 

 

70,025 

22.28 

Exercised 

(155,519)

12.98 

 

(96,173)

11.10 

 

(108,648)

11.21 

Expired 

(9,290)

17.90 

 

(8,566)

15.16 

 

(8,454)

10.03 

Surrendered 

(15,647)

18.58 

 

-   

 

-   

Outstanding, end of year 

741,718 

$     19.23 

 

733,999 

$      16.50 

 

583,538 

$      14.34 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exercisable, end of year 

263,140 

$     15.26 

 

332,459 

$      13.18 

 

332,918 

$      12.33 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The weighted average fair value of options granted in 2006, 2005 and 2004 amounted to $3.93, $4.57 and $4.44, respectively. The fair value of each option grant is estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes-Merton option-pricing model and the following weighted-average assumptions:

 

 

Year ended December 31,

 

2006

 

2005

 

2004

Dividend yield 

2.60%

 

3.10%

 

2.69%

Expected volatility 

18.5% - 23.5%

 

26.10%

 

23.90%

Weighted-average volatility 

22.60%

 

26.10%

 

23.90%

Risk-free interest rate 

4.45% - 4.72%

 

4.21%

 

3.12%

Expected term (years) 

0.25 - 6.20 

 

6.60 

 

5.75 

 

The expected term of the options granted in 2006 was estimated using historical data that was adjusted to remove the effect of option exercises prior to the normal vesting period due to the retirement of the option holder. The expected term of options granted to individuals who are, or will be, eligible to retire prior to the completion of the normal vesting period has been adjusted to reflect the potential accelerated vesting period. This produced a weighted-average expected term of 3.63 years.

 

The expected volatility in the price of the underlying shares for the 2006 option grant was computed by using the historical average high and low monthly prices of the Company’s common stock for a period covering 6.25 years, which approximates the average term of the options and produced an expected volatility of 23.5 percent. The expected volatility of options granted to individuals who are, or will be, eligible to retire prior to the completion of the normal vesting period was computed by using the historical average high and low daily, weekly, or monthly prices for the period approximating the expected term of those options. This produced expected volatility ranging from 18.5 percent to 22.9 percent.

 

38

 


At December 31, 2006, the Company’s portion of the unrecognized compensation cost associated with option awards issued under Employers Mutual’s incentive stock option plans that are not currently vested was $433,482, with a 1.72 year weighted-average period over which the compensation expense is expected to be recognized. A summary of non-vested option activity under Employers Mutual’s incentive stock option plans for 2006, 2005 and 2004 is as follows:

 

 

Year ended December 31, 

 

2006

 

2005

 

2004

 

 

Weighted- 

 

 

Weighted- 

 

 

Weighted- 

 

 

average 

 

 

average 

 

 

average 

 

 

grant-date 

 

 

grant-date 

 

 

grant-date 

 

Options

fair value 

 

Options

fair value 

 

Options

fair value 

Non-vested, beginning of year 

401,540 

$          4.19 

 

250,620 

$           2.97 

 

280,655 

$           2.14 

Granted 

188,175 

3.93 

 

255,200 

4.57 

 

70,025 

4.44 

Vested 

(97,490)

3.94 

 

(104,280)

2.19 

 

(100,060)

1.68 

Surrendered 

(13,647)

4.47 

 

-   

 

-   

Non-vested, end of year 

478,578 

$          4.13 

 

401,540 

$           4.19 

 

250,620 

$           2.97 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Company’s portion of the total intrinsic value of options exercised under Employers Mutual’s incentive stock option plans was $663,524, $245,441 and $293,583 in 2006, 2005 and 2004, respectively. As stated earlier, under the terms of the pooling and quota share agreements these amounts were paid to Employers Mutual and the Company received the full fair value for all shares issued under these plans. The Company’s portion of the total fair value of options that vested in 2006, 2005, and 2004 was $178,439, $117,710 and $32,373, respectively. Additional Information relating to options outstanding and options vested (exercisable) at December 31, 2006 is as follows:

 

 

December 31, 2006

 

 

 

Weighted-

 

 

 

Weighted-

 

 

 

average

 

Aggregate 

 

average

 

 

 

exercise

 

intrinsic 

 

remaining 

 

Options

 

price

 

value 

 

term 

Options outstanding 

741,718 

 

$       19.23 

 

$ 10,992,100 

 

7.01 

Options exercisable 

263,140 

 

$       15.26 

 

$   4,944,990 

 

4.79 

 

Employers Mutual’s incentive stock option plans do not generate tax deductions for the Company. Therefore, no cash flow effects have resulted from the application of the provisions of SFAS 123(R) on share-based payment arrangements. The income tax benefit that results from disqualifying dispositions is deemed immaterial.

 

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

 

A total of 500,000 shares of the Company’s common stock have been reserved for issuance under the Employers Mutual Casualty Company 1993 Employee Stock Purchase Plan. Any employee who is employed by Employers Mutual or its subsidiaries on the first day of the month immediately preceding any option period is eligible to participate in the plan. Participants pay 85 percent of the fair market value of the stock on the date of purchase. The plan is administered by the Board of Employers Mutual and the Board has the right to amend or terminate the plan at any time; however, no such amendment or termination shall adversely affect the rights and privileges of participants with unexercised options. Expenses allocated to the Company in connection with this plan totaled $14,724, $14,062 and $9,752 in 2006, 2005 and 2004, respectively.

 

39

 


During 2006, a total of 9,769 options were exercised at prices of $30.47 and $32.69. Activity under the plan was as follows:

 

 

Year ended December 31,

 

2006

 

2005

 

2004

Shares available for purchase, beginning of year 

258,218 

 

274,791 

 

288,322 

Shares purchased under plan 

(9,769)

 

(16,573)

 

(13,531)

Shares available for purchase, end of year 

248,449 

 

258,218 

 

274,791 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Non-Employee Director Stock Option Plan

 

A total of 200,000 shares of the Company’s common stock have been reserved for issuance under the 2003 Employers Mutual Casualty Company Non-Employee Director Stock Option Plan. All non-employee directors of Employers Mutual and its subsidiaries and affiliates who are not serving on the “Disinterested Director Committee” of the Board of Employers Mutual as of the beginning of an option period are eligible to participate in the plan. Each eligible director can purchase shares of common stock at 75 percent of the fair value of the stock on the option exercise date in an amount equal to a minimum of 25 percent to a maximum of 100 percent of their annual cash retainer. The plan will continue through the option period for options granted at the 2012 annual meetings. The plan is administered by the Disinterested Director Committee of the Board. The Board may amend or terminate the plan at any time; however, no such amendment or termination shall adversely affect the rights and privileges of participants with unexercised options. Expenses allocated to the Company in connection with these plans totaled $9,495, $12,893 and $4,080 in 2006, 2005 and 2004, respectively.

 

During 2006, a total of 899 options were exercised at prices ranging from $29.77 to $34.91. Activity under the plan was as follows:

 

 

Year ended December 31,

 

2006

 

2005

 

2004

Shares available for purchase, beginning of year 

187,409 

 

196,797 

 

198,156 

Shares purchased under plan 

(899)

 

(9,388)

 

(1,359)

Shares available for purchase, end of year 

186,510 

 

187,409 

 

196,797 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dividend Reinvestment Plan

 

The Company maintains a dividend reinvestment and common stock purchase plan which provides stockholders with the option of reinvesting cash dividends in additional shares of the Company’s common stock. Participants may also purchase additional shares of common stock without incurring broker commissions by making optional cash contributions to the plan and may sell shares of common stock through the plan. Employers Mutual participated in the Dividend Reinvestment Plan in the first two quarters of 2004 and reinvested 50 percent of its dividends in additional shares of the Company’s common stock. Due to its participation in the Company’s 2004 stock offering, Employers Mutual discontinued its participation in the plan as of the third quarter of 2004. Activity under the plan was as follows:

 

 

Year ended December 31,

 

2006

 

2005

 

2004

Shares available for purchase, beginning of year 

201,034 

 

208,820 

 

271,838 

Shares purchased under plan 

(5,408)

 

(7,786)

 

(63,018)

Shares available for purchase, end of year 

195,626 

 

201,034 

 

208,820 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Range of purchase prices 

$20.28

 

$16.95

 

$18.75

 

to

 

to

 

to

 

$35.34

 

$20.97

 

$24.97

 

 

40

 


Stock Purchase Plan

 

During the second quarter of 2005 Employers Mutual initiated a $15 million stock purchase program under which Employers Mutual will purchase shares of the Company’s common stock in the open market. This purchase program does not have an expiration date. The timing and terms of the purchases are determined by management based on market conditions and are conducted in accordance with the applicable rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission. During 2005, Employers Mutual purchased 497,348 shares of the Company’s common stock under this plan at an average cost of $17.97 per share. No purchases were made during 2006.

 

Stock Appreciation Right (SAR) agreement

 

On October 19, 2006, Employers Mutual entered into a stock appreciation rights (SAR) agreement with the Company’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (Mr. Murray). This SAR agreement is a substitute for a stock option grant Mr. Murray was initially authorized to receive as part of his 2006 compensation arrangement, but was not issued to him due to certain limitations contained in Employers Mutual’s incentive stock option plan. The grant-date fair value of this award was $546,300. Because the SAR agreement will be settled in cash, it is considered to be a liability-classified award under SFAS 123(R). As a result, the value of this agreement must be re-measured at fair value at each financial statement reporting date. The fair value of this agreement at December 31, 2006 was $662,850 ($198,855 as the Company’s portion from the pool). Subsequent changes in the fair value of this agreement will be reflected as compensation expense until the agreement is ultimately settled in 2016. The full value of this agreement was expensed in 2006 because Mr. Murray is currently eligible for retirement and is entitled to keep the award at retirement. As a result, the award does not have any subsequent service requirements.

 

13.

DISCLOSURES ABOUT THE FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

 

The estimated fair value for fixed maturities, equity securities and short-term investments is based on quoted market prices, where available, or on values obtained from independent pricing services (see note 8).

 

The fair value of the surplus notes is estimated using discounted cash flow analysis based on the Company’s current incremental borrowing rate for a similar liability.

 

Other long-term investments, consisting primarily of holdings in limited partnerships and limited liability companies, are valued by the various fund managers. In management’s opinion, these values reflect fair value at December 31, 2006.

 

41

 


 

The estimated fair value of the Company’s financial instruments is summarized below.

 

 

Carrying

 

Estimated

 

amount

 

fair value

December 31, 2006

 

 

 

Assets:

 

 

 

Fixed maturity securities:

 

 

 

Held-to-maturity 

$     5,679,960 

 

$     5,768,918 

Available-for-sale 

824,506,371 

 

824,506,371 

Equity securities available-for-sale 

112,527,480 

 

112,527,480 

Short-term investments 

58,053,337 

 

58,053,337 

Other long-term investments 

552,202 

 

552,202 

Liabilities:

 

 

 

Surplus notes 

36,000,000 

 

41,882,936 

 

 

 

 

December 31, 2005

 

 

 

Assets:

 

 

 

Fixed maturity securities:

 

 

 

Held-to-maturity 

$      19,794,406 

 

$      20,179,208 

Available-for-sale 

795,056,093 

 

795,056,093 

Equity securities available-for-sale 

93,343,172 

 

93,343,172 

Short-term investments 

37,345,456 

 

37,345,456 

Other long-term investments 

4,269,566 

 

4,269,566 

Liabilities:

 

 

 

Surplus notes 

36,000,000 

 

41,359,854 

 

 

14.

LEASES, COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENT LIABILITIES

 

One of the Company’s property and casualty insurance subsidiaries leases office facilities in Bismarck, North Dakota with lease terms expiring in 2014. Employers Mutual has entered into various leases for branch and service office facilities with lease terms expiring through 2017. All lease costs are included as expenses under the pooling agreement, after allocation of the portion of these expenses to the subsidiaries that do not participate in the pool. The following table reflects the lease commitments of the Company as of December 31, 2006.

 

 

Payments due by period

 

 

 

Less than

 

1 - 3

 

4 - 5 

 

More than

 

Total

 

1 year

 

years

 

years

 

5 years

Lease commitments

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Real estate operating leases 

$   7,788,869 

 

$   1,375,750 

 

$   2,338,964 

 

$   2,025,231 

 

$   2,048,924 

 

The participants in the pooling agreement are subject to guaranty fund assessments by states in which they write business. Guaranty fund assessments are used by states to pay policyholder liabilities of insolvent insurers domiciled in that state. Many states allow assessments to be recovered through premium tax offsets. Estimated guaranty fund assessments of $1,450,944 and $1,493,325 and related premium tax offsets of $928,623 and $729,375 have been accrued as of December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively. The guaranty fund assessments are expected to be paid over the next two years and the premium tax offsets are expected to be realized within ten years of the payments. The participants in the pooling agreement are also subject to second-injury fund assessments which are designed to encourage employers to employ a worker with a pre-existing disability. Estimated second-injury fund assessments of $1,768,799 and $1,871,969 have been accrued as of December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively. The second-injury fund assessment accruals are based on projected loss payments. The periods over which the assessments will be paid is not known.

 

42

 


The participants in the pooling agreement have purchased annuities from life insurance companies, under which the claimant is payee, to fund future payments that are fixed pursuant to specific claim settlement provisions. The Company’s share of loss reserves eliminated by the purchase of these annuities was $1,779,009 at December 31, 2006. The Company has a contingent liability of $1,779,009 should the issuers of these annuities fail to perform under the terms of the annuity. All of the issuing companies maintain strong financial ratings, therefore the Company believes the likelihood of failure of any of the issuing companies is remote. The Company’s share of the amount due from any one life insurance company does not equal or exceed one percent of its subsidiaries’ aggregate policyholders’ surplus.

 

The Company and Employers Mutual and its other subsidiaries are parties to numerous lawsuits arising in the normal course of the insurance business. The Company believes that the resolution of these lawsuits will not have a material adverse effect on its financial condition or its results of operations. The companies involved have established reserves which are believed adequate to cover any potential liabilities arising out of all such pending or threatened proceedings.

 

15.

UNAUDITED INTERIM FINANCIAL INFORMATION

 

 

Three months ended, 

 

March 31

 

June 30

 

September 30

 

December 31

2006

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total revenues 

$    109,224,079 

 

$   111,998,575 

 

$    105,868,671 

 

$    115,994,951 

Income before income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

tax expense 

$      28,158,769 

 

$     16,505,517 

 

$      15,328,231 

 

$      16,372,865 

Income tax expense 

8,894,910 

 

4,690,991 

 

4,353,767 

 

4,878,610 

Net income 

$      19,263,859 

 

$     11,814,526 

 

$      10,974,464 

 

$      11,494,255 

Net income per share

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- basic and diluted* 

$                   1.41 

 

$                  0.86 

 

$                   0.80 

 

$                   0.84 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2005

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total revenues 

$       111,050,318 

 

$      115,383,557 

 

$       115,322,478 

 

$       119,055,647 

Income before income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

tax expense 

$         14,585,434 

 

$          6,349,243 

 

$         11,211,216 

 

$         27,963,929 

Income tax expense 

4,082,838 

 

1,188,585 

 

2,882,495 

 

8,946,859 

Net income 

$         10,502,596 

 

$          5,160,658 

 

$           8,328,721 

 

$         19,017,070 

Net income per share

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- basic and diluted* 

$                    0.77 

 

$                   0.38 

 

$                    0.61 

 

$                    1.40 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2004

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total revenues 

$         91,209,265 

 

$        94,296,170 

 

$         96,455,388 

 

$         98,397,887 

Income (loss) before income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

tax expense (benefit) 

$         12,363,360 

 

$          3,775,979 

 

$           1,641,750 

 

$         (2,210,092)

Income tax expense (benefit) 

4,014,265 

 

310,043 

 

(216,710)

 

(1,721,284)

Net income (loss) 

$           8,349,095 

 

$          3,465,936 

 

$           1,858,460 

 

$            (488,808)

Net income (loss) per share

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- basic and diluted* 

$                    0.72 

 

$                   0.30 

 

$                    0.16 

 

$                  (0.04)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* Since the weighted-average number of shares outstanding for the quarters are calculated independently of the weighted-average number of shares outstanding for the year, quarterly net income (loss) per share may not total to annual net income (loss) per share.

 

43

 


SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, on March 20, 2007.

 

EMC INSURANCE GROUP INC.

 

/s/ Bruce G. Kelley

Bruce G. Kelley

President and Chief Executive Officer

 

 

/s/ Mark E. Reese

Mark E. Reese

Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

(Principal Accounting Officer)

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the Registrant and in the capacities indicated on March 20, 2007.

 

/s/ Mark E. Reese

Margaret A. Ball*

Director

 

/s/ Mark E. Reese

George C. Carpenter III*

Director

 

/s/ Mark E. Reese

David J. Fisher*

Director

 

/s/ Bruce G. Kelley

Bruce G. Kelley

Director

 

/s/ Mark E. Reese

George W. Kochheiser*

Chairman of the Board

 

/s/ Mark E. Reese

Raymond A. Michel*

Director

 

/s/ Mark E. Reese

Fredrick A. Schiek*

Director

 

/s/ Mark E. Reese

Joanne L. Stockdale*

Director

 

* by power of attorney

 

44

 


EMC Insurance Group Inc. and Subsidiaries

 

Index to Exhibits

 

Exhibit number

 

Item

Page number

 

 

 

23

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.

46

 

 

 

31.1

Certification of President and Chief Executive Officer as required by Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

 

47

 

 

 

31.2

Certification of Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer as required by Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

 

48

 

 

 

32.1

Certification of the President and Chief Executive Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

 

49

 

 

 

32.2

Certification of the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

 

50

 

 

 

 

45